Lost in the Rain
by wolf's paradise
Summary: They were called to help Amegakure get rid of ronin. As part of the mission, Naruto and Sakura infiltrate the "ninja school" and are forced to room together, which provides situations both would rather avoid. Even as many become suspects for progressive murders, Naruto and Sakura grow closer and closer before the rogue group of ninja move in to attack. Not AU/M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Okay, so here it is! My new novel to epic length story (well, if I calculate it right, it _should_ be novel length). It probably will be slow at first. I hope you enjoy it, though, and I hope it's not all that bad. There aren't any jutsu in this chapter, but just as a side note, most that I do will be in English, even if other things are in Japanese. Some that I know in Japanese will be in that language, but not any that I come up with on my own. I mean, I just don't know a lot of Japanese! I also know that my fighting scenes probably won't be anything special, but just bare with me!

So, rant, rave, criticize this chapter all you want. I'm looking forward to your opinion, whether it's good or not. I like constructive criticism, so correct me if you notice anything wrong. _Please give this story a chance after this chapter. It's controversial to the "real" Naruto, I know, but I have a reason for it, and his character in these first few chapters will be explained later._

**Genre:** Action/Drama/Adventure/Romance/Mystery

**Full Summary:** They were called to help Amegakure get rid of ronin. As part of the mission, Naruto and Sakura infiltrate the "ninja school" and are forced to room together, which provides situations both would rather avoid. Yet even as everyone becomes a suspect for progressive murders, Naruto and Sakura grow closer and closer before the rogue group of ninja moves in to attack.

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**Lost in the Rain**

Chapter One

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"I don't want to do it."

Tsunade glared at Naruto, her light brown eyes narrowing dangerously. "Why not? I gave you a mission. I expect you to carry it out."

"Then pass me as a jounin," Naruto said, his voice lowering. His own eyes narrowed dangerously.

Tsunade pressed her lips into a hard line. When had Naruto gotten to be like this? He used to be so kind, happy, and energetic. It was like she hardly knew him anymore. However, Tsunade wouldn't back down on this one. She had already talked with him about becoming a jounin. It wasn't that he wasn't ready—far from it. If anything, one could say that the test for Naruto had been almost… _easy_.

"I already talked to you about this. You and Sakura have some of the best teamwork in this village. She has to wait until the jounin tests are organized. Besides, you know why I can't rush into a decision like that. Thankfully, the Akatsuki has been annihilated and a new Amekage has been elected, but there are still people that want you dead, or want the Kyuubi. You and Sakura are already in quite a few of the other villages' Bingo Book, just so they can watch out for you two."

Naruto lowered his eyes, hiding the annoyed look that crossed his face. But Tsunade wasn't done yet. "You two have been the greatest asset to our village since the Fourth Hokage. I'd keep Kakashi in ANBU, but he's more useful as a teacher." Tsuande smiled to herself at a strange memory. "He hasn't found a team yet that he's liked as much as you and Sakura."

Naruto's eyes quickly glanced up. Her comment had caught him off guard, but he knew when an argument was over, and there really was no use arguing with Tsunade. She could be coaxed into decisions sometimes, but he knew this was one argument from which she would not back down. Naruto glanced over at Sakura. She was only standing about two feet apart from him. Her stance was one of nervousness, even though to the untrained eye she looked relaxed.

"Sakura, Naruto: your mission has been assigned. Team 7 is dismissed."

Both nodded while exiting the Hokage's room nonchalantly. Sakura watched Naruto go, slowly following after him. It was heartbreaking to see how much he had changed. Ever since he had left for those three years to train with Jiraiya, he had never been the same. It seemed to be linked with the fight between him and Sasuke, but Sakura couldn't be sure.

Now, Naruto hardly talked to anyone. He would sometimes say something to her, especially if they were discussing strategies on a mission. She had seen him meet with Kakashi a few times; only occasionally did they speak to each other. Naruto's attitude had changed considerably, altering from a small, annoying genin—prone to stupid mistakes—to cold and calculating.

She watched him walk through the town, head down, hands shoved his pockets, completely unnoticed by the crowd. If he was, they didn't show it. A few showed fear, and quickly moved out of his way, but most of them ignored his presence. Sakura wanted to help him, but… Even she was slightly apprehensive around him. If he attacked her, she didn't have the will to fight back, not even for her own life. Ever since he had left with Jiraiya, she realized how much he meant to her, and it had stunned her when she realized how much he had changed these past five years.

Sakura sighed. She had to get ready to go. Besides, she guessed it didn't matter if she cared a little bit more for him than she thought was necessary. He didn't care about her anymore, she was sure of that.

00000

Naruto walked silently down the dirt path that led him farther and farther away from Konoha. His eyes scanned the document once more. It seemed as though Tsunade had written this assignment especially for them.

_Rank: B_

_Place: Water Country_

_Village: Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain)_

_Objective: Observe and kill (if necessary) renegade ronin. Class: Unknown. Rank: Possibly jounin or higher._

_Mission: Infiltrate the Village in the Rain by using their new "exchange ninja" system. (The "exchange ninja" system is to help other ninjas learn how to manipulate a second type of chakra, provided the ninja has harnessed his own natural element. The exchanged ninja will stay at the academy for two years, or until he passes the final exam.) Naruto. Sakura. I don't know why this mission is only labeled as B-rank, but you two are the only seventeen-year-old ninjas we have that are good enough to be jounin at this moment. Amegakure believes that the missing nin is teaching at their academy, or lives somewhere nearby, looking for an apprentice. They want you to watch the areas for anything suspicious. They expect you two to only be chuunin level. Most seventeen-year-old ninjas are only at that level. You two will either be staying in the rooms at the school with other exchange ninja, or you will be living with the jounin leader of the academy, whichever you prefer. Good luck!_

Naruto growled inwardly. Good enough to be jounin? They were good enough to be in ANBU. He knew that Tsunade had ordered Sakura to delay on purpose. Tsunade knew what he was capable of because he had lost control on more than one occasion. But Yamato had stopped the Kyuubi's chakra from getting worse. It wasn't that he got angrier faster; he was more unconcerned now than he was before. It was just…

_Me?_

_Shut up, Kyuubi,_ Naruto growled.

An evil chuckle. _All right, Twerp. Just remember who gave you the endurance to be where you are now. And let me out every now and then. It's boring in here._

_Then be bored. You know that if I let you out, it only damages me more, and in the end it shortens your life._ Naruto had a strange sense that the Kyuubi almost shrugged, but he could feel the Kyuubi's angry realization that what Naruto had said was true.

_Then no cloak._

Naruto inwardly shook his head. The Kyuubi would never be satisfied about an arrangement of sorts. But knowing that its cloak damaged Naruto to the point of a shortened lifespan had kept it in check. Naruto was forever reminding the Kyuubi of this, and it seemed to work. Let the Kyuubi be bored. Naruto was bored with this whole set-up. He didn't want to be in an academy. It was… troublesome, as Shikamaru often put it.

The corners of Naruto's mouth twitched slightly. The rookie nine—not so much rookies anymore—had turned out to be the greatest asset to Konoha yet. Many were still chuunin training to be jounin, with the exception of Naruto and Sakura, who possessed enough skill to be on ANBU. They all had a variation of jutsu—skills that complimented one teammate or another. They had been his friends once. He had even gone on missions with quite a few of them recently. He didn't really want friends now, although he still talked to Sakura. Naruto guessed she could be considered a friend.

Naruto adjusted the pack on his back. Of course, it was filled with only a few pairs of clothes; the rest of it was filled with his scrolls and weapons. Sakura's pack contained more than clothes and weapons. He knew it held all of her medical gear and books for figuring out poisons and the like. Naruto ran a hand through his hair. It was strange not wearing his Konoha headband, and it was strange seeing Sakura without hers as well. She wore a red ribbon in place of the headband.

According to the rules of the "exchange ninja" system, the exchange ninja were to go without their headbands so they would feel less separated from the rest of the school. It was a stupid idea, one that Naruto thought was completely unnecessary and unconventional. He didn't want to "fit in" to the Hidden Rain Village. He was here to do a mission, not play academy ninja with a bunch of lame chuunins. Besides, he could already manipulate two types of chakra. Wind, of course, was his specialty, his affinity, but he knew how to manipulate water as well. What he really wanted to master was the lightning element, and unless a jounin in the Rain Village was a lightning-user, he wasn't interested.

He heard Sakura clear her throat softly. "Um, Naruto?" she asked, her voice uncertain. He turned his head towards her. Naruto's penetrating stare caused a small shiver to race up her spine. She could never get used to Naruto's cold glares. He usually never glared at her; but there was something about them that was… threatening, like his temper could blow at any moment. Of course, there was always the matter of the Kyuubi. It wasn't as though Sakura was afraid of Naruto. It was just… There was so much damage afterwards, and the power of the Kyuubi was… unreal. Sakura felt helpless when she saw him injured like that.

"Sakura."

She forced her eyes away. Thankfully, Naruto's icy stare had softened a little. "Look. Amegakure."

Naruto knew that they were close; he had seen once Sakura had gotten his attention. But he didn't bother telling her that. She had been distracted, and no doubt he had been the cause. He hadn't meant to stare at her like that, but she had caught him while he was thinking.

Two jounin were at the entrance to the city; one was tall and muscular with flat brown hair, and the other was a foot shorter with less muscle and red hair. Their faces were stern and unsmiling, but their posture wavered once they caught sight of Naruto. They took in Naruto's plain black shirt with a red swirl in the middle of his chest. His hands were stuffed in the pockets on his orange pants. He wore no headband, no clue as to which village he belonged to, and his blond hair fell over his forehead, the rest of his hair spiking out in every direction. But none of that caused them to falter. It was the austere air that surrounded him, the strange confidence with which he walked. But the most disconcerting thing about him was his eyes.

He was looking up at them through a few strands of his bangs, seeming too lazy to actually pick his head up. His icy blue eyes were blazing with hatred as he neared the two jounin guarding the city. Both of them tensed, prepared for the worst. The air was saturated with hostility as the blond boy neared the two jounin. Their postures stiffened, but the taller, more muscular of the two was the first one to speak. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Do you two have ID?" the brown haired jounin asked sternly, trying to get rid of the unpleasant feeling in his gut. He couldn't believe that this boy only looked seventeen.

Naruto didn't say a word, didn't take his eyes off of the two jounin. His right hand flipped out of his pocket in a flash, his index finger and thumb spreading the two IDs apart so the two men could clearly see the pictures and descriptions. The two jounin gasped at the movement, for it had almost been faster than their eyes could follow. The one who spoke quickly took the cards away from Naruto.

His eyes widened as he read the description. The other guard had an equally surprised look on his face. "You two are in the Exchange Ninja System?" the jounin with the red hair asked, his voice holding both awe and suspicion.

"Hai," Sakura answered, knowing that Naruto would either nod or simply stand there. She guessed the latter, and was correct. Naruto didn't move. "We are shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We've been assigned on a mission here by request of your Amekage." Sakura pulled out a small slip of paper. "This was signed by our Hokage Tsunade and your Amekage Eiji. We are to report to him."

The guards glanced nervously at one another. The girl seemed nice enough, but this boy… They didn't know what to make of him, nor did they know how to explain the dangerous aura around him that charged the air.

"Are you going to be standing there all day? We've got a mission to complete."

The guards gasped, jumping when they heard the low, annoyed note in Naruto's voice. Naruto grabbed the passes from the guard's hand, flipping his eyes to theirs. He made sure to fix them with his coldest glare. They were slowing him and Sakura down. The classes at the academy had already started a week ago, and he hated making a scene in a huge crowd of people. He just wanted to get this mission over with, and these guards weren't helping much.

The guards cringed away from Naruto's hate-filled glare. He passed them with a scoff, handing Sakura her pass. She took it gingerly from his hands, hoping that she wasn't doing anything to make him mad. She seemed to be doing okay. Naruto only seemed to be upset that the guards had been delaying them. She knew how much Naruto didn't want to do this mission, but she also knew it wouldn't be solved so quickly. After all, they were looking for a missing nin.

Naruto shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, trying to keep himself from crushing the pass in his left hand. Why couldn't people just leave him be? All he wanted was to be left alone. Why did they always have to stare at him like he was some freak of nature, like he was a monster? They always had, even when he had tried to put it behind him and change their minds. They had still thought of him as a monster. Even now that his attitude had changed, they still shunned him. That was why he didn't want friends. That was why he hated people, because they always let others down.

With a scowl, Naruto picked up his head, trying to take his mind off of his thoughts. Instead, he focused on the Rain Village. There wasn't much to look at. It was very green, with sparse forests on the outskirts of the village. There was a main street, much like the one in Konoha, but buildings were small and contained only one story. Trees occasionally separated the buildings. Naruto looked at the sky. It was a clear blue, but he could feel the humidity soaking into his skin. They must have come on a good day. He knew that in this village it was always raining.

There were a few places to eat, but no ramen shop. Naruto scoffed inwardly. They wouldn't be as good as Ichiraku's anyway. One thing that Naruto hadn't grown out of was ramen. There were food shops and flower shops; horses pulled carts through the street; women and children were bustling about, no doubt taking advantage of the good weather. There was a group of children running after each other. They were playing ninja. Some were carrying plastic kunai and shurikan in their hands, pretending to fight with them.

Of course, the plastic did no damage, but Naruto felt his heart twinge in hatred. He had never been allowed to play with anyone else when he was little. His friends' parents had never let him. They shooed him away, moving to strike him when he tried to get near one of his friends. Naruto lowered his head again, letting the few long strands of his bangs cover his eyes. But he didn't take his eyes off of the children. He peered through his bangs, glancing over slightly to his right.

Close to the forest, but further away than it looked, was the academy. Even though it was far away, Naruto could just barely see the fine line between the added spaces in the building. The wood was slightly different. The side closest to the main street looked older, marking it as the original, pre-genin section of the academy. That had to be where the young students studied until they passed the exam to graduate from the academy. Of course, once they reached their sensei, only a select few would pass their masters' tests.

The newer part of the academy was no doubt for the chuunin that were getting extra help on molding chakra, and for the Rain Village's new exchange ninja system. Naruto only guessed that they were getting taught more advanced material as well, such as the systems of each kage in each village in each country. But they would no doubt be things that he already knew. Jiraiya had taught Naruto everything he had known.

Jiraiya… Naruto ground his teeth. Another failure. Another life lost. Another reason why he had gotten even more disagreeable. With a twinge of pain, Naruto viciously thrust the thought away.

Naruto flicked his eyes to Sakura. She was looking around the village, taking in the sights and sounds, but she looked slightly nervous. Was it him? Or was it simply the fact of coming into a new city? He hoped it wasn't the first. He had hurt and failed Sakura enough. He didn't know why she was still his friend.

But, whatever the reason, anxiety radiated off of her body as soon as the villagers caught sight of them. It wasn't Sakura—Naruto knew that. It was him. It was always him. But he didn't look at the villagers. He didn't even acknowledge them. He simply dug his hands deeper into his pockets, his eyes reflecting his annoyance with it all. His hair covered most of his forehead and part of his eyes; he just wished it covered his whole face. It was times like these that he truly became angry, because everyone reacted to him the same way. Granted, his new personality guaranteed the fact that people would look at him, but he still hated it. The coldness of his own village had distilled in him the knowledge that one had to be hard, callous. After all, they had been that way to him.

_Shall we take some of them down?_ a cold voice suggested eagerly.

_Shut up, Kyuubi_, Naruto growled. _You know we can't just come into another village and kill people. I don't want to kill anyone. Besides, I'm on a mission, and the faster I get this done, the sooner I can get back home._

_Home? You mean the place where people hate you?_ the Kyuubi asked acidly.

_Tch. Don't bring that up. You know it won't work. You know I won't become a renegade ninja. Remember? Body damage? Despite what you might think, I want to live. I like seeing people's fear when they see what I've become because of their hatred. I want…_ Naruto felt his heart twinge. What he really meant was that he wanted to live to one day hopefully make right on his broken promise. He still liked Sakura… in a way. The main reason was how she still considered him her friend. He didn't understand it. He had failed on retrieving Sasuke. Why did she still even talk to him?

A tall man caught Naruto's attention, and he quickly smothered his growing anger at the townspeople. His anger always awoke the Kyuubi, and it was getting annoying. But he noticed the man walking towards them was none other than the Amekage himself. Eiji was an older man, not quite as old as how Naruto remembered the third Hokage, but around forty years old. Amekage Eiji's black hair was peppered with grey, and there were lines around his eyes as he smiled at the Konoha shinobi. His arms spread wide as he greeted them.

"Welcome! I assume that you two are here for our new Exchange Ninja System?" the Amekage asked, his voice old but strong.

"Hai," Sakura answered. "We are from Konoha."

"I see," Eiji said, his voice slightly resigned. His eyes shifted slightly to study Naruto.

Naruto flicked his eyes away and to the academy not too far off now. Small children were sparring outside under the supervision of their sensei. A few looked gifted, but then again, these were the younger academy students. The other, more advanced academy students were no doubt inside studying. A bell rang. Almost immediately, ninja around Naruto's age filtered out of the door and back through another door into the newer section of the building.

"So, you must be Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto," Eiji said carefully.

Sakura answered with her usual, "Hai," but a gaze from Naruto was the only answer he gave. Naruto could feel Eiji's slight unease around him, but he didn't really care. It didn't matter who it was. Everyone reacted that way around him.

"Well, then," Eiji said cheerfully, trying to hide his unease as he led the two Konoha shinobi towards the academy. "School has already started for a week, but we've just been letting them get used to classes and know what material they will be learning. Some classes have books, and some have kunai, but most will have ninjutsu.

"As you know, you two are here to learn how to mold water natured chakra. Also, we have various shinobi from the sand, cloud, and rock villages attending this program. But those are not the only ones we have here. We have ninja from our own village that are seeking better knowledge of their chakra. Now, some don't possess water affiliation, but almost all of our clans do."

Naruto glanced at the building as they neared it. It was much bigger than he had expected. There were more windows on the second floor than the first; Naruto guessed that was where the exchange ninja slept.

"I understand that Tsunade-sama gave you the option of sleeping in the academy or sleeping with one of the jounin teaching the classes. Which would you like to choose?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Naruto scoffed acidly.

Eiji's eyes twitched. Sakura quickly sidled up to the Amekage and whispered in his ear. "Gomen, Amekage Eiji. Naruto doesn't like to talk much."

Amekage Eiji simply nodded. He stopped in front of the academy, and waved his hand in front of him. "The hallway to the second building is through that door. The classes have a short break, so most of the jounin leaders will be meeting together in the room at the very end of the hallway. Good luck and thank you for taking part in this program. Our village appreciates it."

Naruto rolled his eyes. This was all very annoying, and very tiring. He wanted to get on with the mission. His eyes glanced at Sakura, and she gave him a pointed look. Of course politeness and hospitality had to be assigned with this mission. It made him sick. If people were nice to him, he might be inclined to be nice back.

"Arigatou," Sakura acknowledged as Naruto walked forward towards the door. She quickly followed, matching her pace to his. He pushed the door open, noticing a small flight of stairs before it curved into a hallway and split into another staircase, no doubt to go to the second floor where the bedrooms had to be. Naruto sighed in annoyance, teleporting over all of the steps instead of walking up them. Sakura quickly jumped up the steps, and sidled up to Naruto as they entered the hallway.

Naruto fixed his eyes on the door at the very end of the hallway. That was where they needed to go. He stepped out from under the doorframe. Immediately, all talking ceased. Everything was filled with a tense, dead silence as all the ninja stared at the two Konoha shinobi.

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**A/N:** So, how was it? I know Naruto acts a lot like Sasuke, but before you complain, it does get better and it DOES get explained in later chapters. This will probably be my first novel length story (in any and all categories in the Naruto category), and I'd like your opinion on how this first chapter turned out.

- wolf's paradise


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** All righty, I've got another chapter! Sorry this chapter's a little short. I wanted to end it on a specific note, and I don't exactly have anything else to add, unless they go into town, but that'd be really boring. So I left it with a short 3,000 word chapter. And I didn't get ten reviews! That's upsetting… Oh, well. I suppose that it's acceptable for a boring first chapter.

So, I'd like to thank those of you who _have_ reviewed this story (even though this is only the second chapter!). So, thanks to:

Inome Higurashi: this story branches off of the manga after the chapters when Jiraiya died, but other things happened after, and now they're around seventeen or eighteen.

(Just as a little side note, I did not know about Naruto's sage chakra at the time I developed this story idea, and it wouldn't work for the story if I decided to add it in here anyway)

.love: yes, yes, We all know about your Love for Kakashi because I know you really like his Mask, especially when he's full of Malice. Besides, you should be happy Kakashi's even in here. He wasn't part of the original plot, but it all seems to work out.

Zaisuro: I know I already answered your review, but all the same, I'm afraid I have set myself up for a very _long_ story. Still, I'm excited for it. And if any of you had the same confusion as zaisuro (Sakura being too timid) then fear not! She does end up punching people and going back to her punching self. Besides, I have to set the mood for their characters and situations.

Darkheart291: thanks for the review! It perked up my day, and I'm happy that you're waiting for me to continue. It really means a lot.

I'd also like to thank my three wonderful betas: believeit6, .love, and my best friend in Nebraska. You guys are awesome betas, and I couldn't ask for three better people to review my story for me.

Well, without further ado, on to the story!

**Disclaimer: **I'm pretty sure none of us here own Naruto. Seriously, we do post our stories on a website called fan _fiction_…

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Chapter Two

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Naruto noticed the silence of the hallway, but he had learned not to pay attention. It was all so familiar, anyway. He never failed to stop conversations the moment he stepped into a room.

Instead, he glanced out of his peripheral vision, taking in the smooth, hard wood and the five classrooms that branched from the hallway. They were large classrooms, no doubt to fit the number of ninja attending.

He felt Sakura's hand involuntarily tighten around his upper arm. He knew that she hated it when people stared, but she only let her apprehension flow to him. He felt a strange urge to reassure her, but his hands stayed in his pockets. It wouldn't be right, and he had a feeling that she wouldn't like it. His eyes wandered fleetingly over the ninja in the hallway. Until he got a closer look, they didn't look all that dangerous.

Naruto had already mapped out the general size of the hallway and rooms, but the hallway was longer than he had expected. More stares as he sauntered slowly down the hallway. He put up with it every day, and it wasn't as if the Rain Village was any different. He and Sakura were new to the village, and though they sported no headband, the villagers new the two were ninja. Naruto shrugged it off as he always did. He was on a mission, after all, and though he didn't want to admit it, he still felt a small sting every time someone stared at him as if he were dirt.

"Hey you!" someone whistled. "The guy with the spiky blond hair!"

Naruto didn't stop.

"I'm talking to you! Hey!"

Finally, Naruto obliged. The boy who had whistled grunted in triumph. "Who are you? What village are you from?"

Naruto kept his head forward. He moved to keep walking, but the boy interrupted him again. How troublesome.

"I said, 'Who are you, and what village are you from?'"

Sakura's hand trembled slightly against Naruto's arm, but he could feel her sudden burst of anger at the boy's audacity. "You know," she said fiercely, and Naruto could imagine her eyes flashing. "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself first."

The boy shrugged. His hair was a messy, medium brown, and he hadn't quite filled out yet. "Fine. I'm Isamaru of the Hidden Village in the Rain. Now, tell me who you two are!"

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it when Naruto voiced her name. "Hai? What is it?" she whispered.

"They're stupid, but they're not utterly stupid. They might know us from their sensei, and through mentions from the Bingo Book. That might hinder our mission if they know too much. If we are introduced as such, then so be it," Naruto whispered.

"Right," Sakura whispered back. Naruto nodded, then moved off again.

"Hey!" Isamaru yelled, his hands balling into fists as he stomped after Naruto. He never got there. Naruto shoved chakra through his legs and teleported directly behind Isamaru, slapping a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. Isamaru jarred to a halt, his head slowly turning around to face Naruto. He had never seen the blond boy's face, but now, he felt Naruto's cold blue glare run though him like ice. Most of the girls gasped, but not out of fear.

Naruto said nothing. He was annoyed that someone was stalling his and Sakura's progress, and he wanted to make sure the boy didn't bother him again. Something as trivial as a chuunin was nothing to make him mad, and definitely wasn't worth his time. Wind chakra was one of the highest ranked elements. It would be easy to defeat the chuunin.

In a flash, Naruto was standing by Sakura again, beckoning for her to follow with a nod of his head. Sakura smiled slightly to herself as she walked behind Naruto. Sometimes, it was good—especially with enemies and new ninja—to be associated with Naruto. People took her more seriously, not to mention that her name was in the Bingo Book as well.

In truth, she did miss the energetic, loud, and obnoxious ninja from when they were younger, but she was still trying to get accustomed to Naruto's new aloof nature. It was scary and uncomfortable at times, but she couldn't help but like it a little, especially the instances where Naruto showed how truly talented and powerful he had become. But, it was how cold and distant from _her_ he had become that made Sakura worry.

However, the adults of the village knew that the fox had been sealed in Naruto, but the other nations only knew that the monster had been sealed inside of a boy. It wasn't too convenient, since any of the villagers could give away information concerning Naruto and the Kyuubi. Of her generation, only Sakura knew that the demon had been sealed inside of Naruto. Sakura selfishly hoped to keep it that way. It was something that only the two of them shared.

Naruto quietly entered the office at the end of the hall, acting as if nothing had happened. Amekage Eiji and one other jounin had seen Naruto's quick movement, but they didn't feel the need to comment on it. After all, most of the staff would know soon enough just who these newcomers were.

The door clicked shut, and Eiji turned to the two shinobi with a smile on his face. _A fake smile—so fitting,_ Naruto noticed.

"Welcome, shinobi of Konoha. First, I'd like to introduce our jounin that will be teaching here." Eiji paused, and Naruto quickly glanced at the four jounin. The Rain Village's Bingo Book must not have faces with the names, because each of the jounin were smiling at Sakura and Naruto. Granted, they seemed a little unsure of how to present themselves to Naruto, but they tried anyway.

"This is Tatsuna Hiroyuki, the jounin that will be in charge of teaching you and all the other shinobi the various water ninjutus." Hiroyuki was tall and broad, his brown hair messy as it poured over his Rain headband. He wore the normal apparel for jounin, though it was slightly different considering they were in Amegakure. His pants were black while his long sleeve shirt was heather grey. Dark navy replaced the Konoha green of the vest, and the jounin's hands were tucked lightly into his pants pockets.

"Hiroyuki-san is best at teaching the various jutsus, but Maikito Akane will be coupling with him to teach the precise chakra control needed for the jutsus." Naruto had a strange sense of déjà-vu. Akane looked very much like Kurenai, but her eyes were blue and her hair was a lighter, reddish caramel brown. However, her face was the only thing Naruto saw that _did_ resemble Kurenai. Akane's slim, fit legs were accented by mid-thigh length, black leather boots. There was only an inch or two of skin between the top of the boots and Akane's mini skirt, but her red top was cap-sleeved and dipped into a 'v'; white bandages strapped over various parts of the shirt to accentuate her figure. Underneath her red top was a mesh shirt similar to what most kunoichi in Konoha wore, and her arms were covered in black gloves that reached to the middle of her forearm.

"Tadashi Seiichi," Eiji continued, "will be teaching about Rain's history pertaining to the various jutsus, and Tadashi Daichi will be teaching you how to 'find' the affinity for the water element." It was easy to see that the two were brothers. They dressed the same, had the same short, stringy red hair and black eyes, but the only difference was the scars on Seiichi's face.

Amekage Eiji paused, letting a sigh escape his lips. He turned towards the four jounin, trying to catch their eye and give them a pointed look. "Hiroyuki, Akane, Seiichi, and Daichi, I would like you to meet Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha."

Immediately, each jounin stiffened in shock, their eyes narrowing slightly as they studied the two ninja. Their eyes held disbelief, not sure if the Amekage was telling the truth. They had expected Naruto and Sakura to be older, at least twenty-five, but all they found was what appeared to be two ordinary-looking seventeen-year-old ninja.

"Well," Eiji said, clapping his hands together and trying to break the tension. "I suppose we should all get back to work. I think that our students have had enough of a break. Akane, please show these two their rooms." The brown-haired kunoichi nodded quietly, and Eiji turned to Naruto and Sakura. "This first week was just to get used to classes. Next week, the actual training will begin."

Both shinobi nodded, standing and shaking hands with the Amekage, at least, Sakura did. Naruto's only acknowledgement was a nod, but that seemed to satisfy the Amekage. Sakura sighed inwardly. At least it seemed that Naruto was starting to remember his manners. When he was around Tsunade or Kakashi, or any of the other Leaf shinobi, they knew what to expect from him. Here, it was different.

Akane stepped past the Konoha ninja, reaching out and trailing her hand across Naruto's chest, causing him to look up in surprise. In a split second the emotion was devoid from his face, and he cursed himself for showing any emotion at all. Akane smiled coyly as she sauntered through the door, knowing the effect she usually had on men.

"This way… Naruto-kun." She glanced back over her shoulder, winking at Naruto as she walked on. Sakura felt a low hiss escape her lips. Green tendrils shot up through her limbs, and they had nothing to do with chakra.

"Sakura," Naruto said softly. She blinked, refocusing her eyes as she looked at Naruto. His hands were still in his pockets, but he was standing underneath the doorframe, waiting for her. Her green orbs flicked to Akane, noticing a pout of anger across the twenty-five-year-old jounin's face. A smug smile barely caressed Sakura's features, but she was still in slight shock at the feeling that had so strongly possessed her. She wasn't exactly sure what it had been.

_He stopped to wait for ME! Shannaro!_ Inner Sakura smirked. The pink haired kunoichi paused for a moment. Though Ino had once said that Sakura somehow possessed two minds, her inner self rarely showed up nowadays—now that she spoke her mind more often. She was surprised that her inner had shown, but she did like the second opinion.

Sakura quickly nodded and followed after Naruto, falling into step beside him. She noticed the scowl on Akane's face before the jounin whirled around and lead them towards the end of hall. The jounin flitted up the stairs to the second floor while Naruto and Sakura followed at their own leisurely pace. She could hear Akane tapping her foot impatiently on the top floorboards, and smirked again. As long as Naruto was trying Akane's apparently low patience level, everything was fine with Sakura.

As the two Konoha shinobi topped the steps, Akane flipped her light brown hair. A scowl lit her features, her blue eyes darkening. In a flash Akane twirled down the hallway, arms crossed over her chest in a pout. She pointed towards a door situated in the middle of all the other rooms, a knowing smile lighting her face. Sakura had the distinct feeling that she was giving them this room on purpose.

"We don't have any other rooms, so I'm afraid that this one will have to do."

Sakura could hear through the fake apology, and scowled in the jounin's direction. She did _not_ like this teacher, mainly because she was only twenty and was already hitting on Naruto, who was three years her junior. Not to mention the strange green wave of jealously that flooded Sakura whenever Akane looked at Naruto that way.

Regardless, Sakura kept a short distance away from the blonde as the two peered into the room. It was simple—much like an apartment, but with two beds on the right and left sides, and two sinks in the one bathroom. In between the beds at the very back of the room was a medium-sized window. Sakura felt her cheeks heat. There was no way Naruto would ever agree to such an arrangement, and even if he did, Sakura would object. Rooming with someone of the opposite sex presented major problems, especially since Sakura's current feelings were raging completely out of her control. She swore she only liked Naruto as a friend, but these situations were bringing out a strange protective streak in her that left her dazed.

"No, no…" Sakura mumbled, turning to Akane and willing her blush to recede.

"Sakura."

Hearing her name caused the kunoichi to whip her head around, and she stared at Naruto in stunned silence. The look on his face… Was he going to say yes?

"It's all right. We've had to sleep in the same tent on missions before, and this is no different." He turned to the jounin, his monotone voice still unchanging. "This room will be fine."

Akane was visibly seething beneath her attempted mask as she marked the door with their names and stomped off. Sakura was still dazed. She hadn't missed the underlying note in his voice when he mentioned the mission. Only a few people knew about the two ninja's mission, and they had to keep it that way. Still, Sakura had never had to _live_ with Naruto, and this was definitely not something she wanted to try any time soon.

_It's that damn Akane! That jounin and her slim, teensy little figure…_ Inner Sakura fumed.

_Stop it!_ _This is no time for me to have you pointing out all her _wonderful_ attributes! I'm still trying to figure out all of this!_ Sakura begged.

Naruto sauntered into the room, completely unaware of Sakura's mental battle. He knew that it would be wise to have a room together so they could converse about the teachers and possible information, and yet, he couldn't place that strange feeling of having her in the room with him. It had never bothered him before.

The blonde shoved the feeling away, setting down his pack and immediately sifting through his weapons' arsenal. He pushed the clothes to the other side of the bed; they were mostly boxers, three extra black shirts, and an extra pair of pants. He smirked as his eyes rested momentarily on his color infatuation. No matter how he had changed, he still couldn't get over the fact that he loved orange.

He glanced at Sakura, who stood in the doorway. He had already spoken more than usual today, and he didn't want to open his mouth again. Still, he didn't want to leave her standing in the hallway. "Sakura." His voice was low and commanding, and she immediately snapped to attention.

"Ah! Gomen!" she apologized as she quickly stepped into the room, her cheeks heating from a blush. She spotted one small dresser to the right side of the window, and turned to Naruto. "Um, I've got some clothes stored in one of my scrolls. Did you want to use a drawer for some of your things?"

Naruto glanced up at her, sensing her apprehension, though he had no clue why. She was normally somewhat comfortable around him, but it was strangely different this time. He shrugged, grabbed his clothes, and tossed them at her. "Here. You can put them in any drawer you like."

"Oh. All right," Sakura gulped. She folded them neatly and placed them in the top drawer, gathering her scrolls to empty out the extra clothes that she always kept stored. It always came in handy, but even still, she couldn't calm the strange feeling in her stomach as she tried not to think about living with Naruto.

00000

Night had fallen over Amegakure, the moon's light shimmering off of the small raindrops that started to fall. A sigh filled the small area around a tree that stood at least a good thousand feet away from the academy. The obsidian eyes were sightless as they closed and tilted towards the rain. He should know that it never stayed dry for long in Amegakure. Still, there was that strangely familiar enigma he felt, even all the way over where he sat on a branch, the rain saturating his clothes as it fell down with greater intensity.

Another sigh escaped through his loosely closed lips, his right leg sliding up to become a buttress for the arm of the respective side. All the lights were out in the building, save for one or two, and though he couldn't see the actual window, he could see the small amount of yellow light shining on the ground below.

"Uzumaki Naruto." His eyes never left the small patch of light. "I look forward to our next meeting, as soon as the time is right."

The man let the words fall to the ground unheard. A small smirk tipped the side of his mouth as his hands formed a small seal, producing a covering that seemed to become part of the tree, yet extended to where the man was completely shielded from the rain. A few more successive hand signs, and the canopy disappeared.

The man was gone.

00000

Two ears twitched. In proportion with his body, they weren't the size they were supposed to be, but were longer, thinner, and more pointy. The rain brought with it a musky scent of clean air, but he could still hear the prey in front of him. He could smell the pulsing blood—smell the scent of delicious rabbit getting closer and closer as he crept towards its hideout in the bushes.

The fox crouched lower to the wet grass, his tail flicking in irritation at the water that his fur was retaining. His coat shone blood red in the shadows; the small white tip of his tail was the only part of the fox that was in the moon's silvery light. Scarlet eyes with darker slits as pupils took in every detail of the ground, the keen eyesight powerful enough to see in the dark. The fox's nose trembled at the decadent scent of blood; his tongue smoothed over his chops at the thought of getting a decent meal. He needed one, and his fangs needed to be sharpened as well.

His head suddenly cocked to the side, eyes flicking to the left in interest. His ears twitched again, the sensitive hearing catching every word that had been spoken not one hundred yards from him.

* * *

**A/N: **So, I know the last parts might be confusing, but all in due time, guys. All in due time. I'm really excited for this story and it's plot. Unfortunately, I had a whole conversation and a few other parts that were going to be in later chapters written down on a word document on my flash drive, but it suddenly seems to have gone caput. I'm trying to recover at least three of those documents.

Let me know what you guys think of this chapter, and ask me any questions, concerns, or the like, and I will answer when I post the next chapter!

- wolf's paradise


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Okay, so this (thankfully) is a much longer chapter. I like reading long chapters, and I like making long chapters, so this worked out. Thankfully, it seems as though my chapters will be fifteen pages on average from now on. I'm really happy about that, even if you aren't, which… eh, I'll just shut up.

Again, I'd like to thank my three wonderful betas: .love, believeit6, and my best friend Tori. They are awesome people, and I couldn't have three better betas. So, thanks again guys!

Wispyboy: yes, there is a reason behind Naruto's demeanor. However, I think I mentioned that before… eh, if not, call me on it!

Believeit6: yup, yup! You're getting' acknowledged! In this chapter, too!

Ferity-88: I'm glad you like this so far. I really hope this story is different, even though parts of it are not going to be original. I mean, I really hope that I bring it to NaruSaku fans in a different, refreshing way, but I am afraid to say not everything's gonna be original.

iPanda: love the name! I'm happy that you think it's good, even though you're not a big NaruSaku fan. That's pretty cool.

Well, enjoy the third chapter, readers!

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

Sakura sighed heavily. She was completely bored, which was the reason for her current thoughts. She couldn't control the confusion she felt. She knew she liked Naruto, but she had only thought her feelings were slightly more than normal for a fellow teammate. But sleeping in the same room did more harm than good. A tint of red crossed Sakura's cheeks. They had had to share the bathroom, the shower, the room—almost everything except beds and clothes. Sakura of course had adamantly ordered that she have the bathroom to herself while she showered, and she gave the same courtesy to Naruto.

But currently, she was eyeing him occasionally with slight confusion. He was almost sleeping, but his barely-open eyes alerted the kunoichi to the fact that Naruto was actually paying attention, while she was trying to figure out what genjutsu this idiot held over her to make her flush and stutter every time he came too near. It was infuriating!

"Uzumaki-san, it's your turn," Hiroyuki said, turning to the blonde with a smile on his face. Sakura still couldn't believe that none of the chuunin in the school had recognized their names. It was a relief nonetheless, though.

A smirk crossed Naruto face, but Sakura noticed a quick flash of apprehension in his eyes. Her own jade orbs narrowed. He wasn't going to show them that jutsu was he? He knew how it damaged him, even if it did show the ultimate elemental and physical chakra combination. Damage happened only if he let the jutsu hit. It did hurt him somewhat without contact, but there were only a few scratches. Sakura rolled her eyes in affirmation when Naruto quickly flicked the question towards her.

"Uzumaki-san?" Hiroyuki interrupted. "What's your chakra affinity?"

"Wind."

"Care to show us the highest level of your element that you are able to achieve?"

Naruto nodded once, figuring that he had to at least attempt to be civilized or else Sakura would never let him live it down. He held out his right hand, letting the chakra appear in a tiny ball. Slowly, just so that everyone could see what was happening, Naruto let the sphere of chakra grow until it was the size of his hand. Many of the chuunin gasped in surprise at the rapidly spinning sphere.

"That's an A-rank technique, Uzumaki-san," Hiroyuki mumbled, awe present in his voice. "I've never seen this type of technique before."

"You wouldn't." Naruto almost smiled. "Only three other shinobi know this technique. One of them created this jutsu."

"Can it go any further?" Hiroyuki was clearly intrigued.

Naruto nodded, letting the ball of spinning chakra dissipate before summoning a shadow clone. That in itself was bound to raise questions, but he knew he had to do this without looking suspicious. Still, he had been working hard with this jutsu. He had finally been able to get a one-handed Rasengan down, and conjure it quickly, but he just couldn't seem to perfect the Rasenshuriken. Not just yet anyway.

The clone placed his hands near a new spinning blue sphere, concentrating hard to incorporate Naruto's elemental chakra with the jutsu. Soon, four pointed edges began to rotate around the middle of the sphere. Naruto, knowing he could do the rest from there, dispersed the clone, and held the jutsu above his head, four triangular blades spinning rapidly around the churning ball of massive chakra.

Sakura felt her heart speed. This was by far Naruto's most powerful jutsu, and he was making it extra powerful at the moment. He was a show-off, and she'd kill him for that later. After she healed him, of course.

The swirling winds surrounding the small clearing calmed, and Naruto released the jutsu. It puffed, leaving a few small scratches that only Sakura's trained eyes were able to detect. All of the chuunin were awestruck; a few of them were from Suna, and only two had wind chakra. Hiroyuki, to say the least, was impressed.

"Very impressive, Uzumaki-san!" He turned to face Sakura. "How about you, Haruno-san? What is your elemental chakra?"

Sakura was suddenly nervous. She didn't really know what element of chakra she possessed. All she knew was medicine… "Well, I'm a medical ninja, Hiroyuki-sensei. I take care of any injuries obtained while on missions. In all honesty, I don't know what my chakra element is."

Naruto flicked his eyes towards her embarrassed face. He knew how hard it was for her to admit that, especially since he had witnessed her extremely hard training sessions with Tsunade. The Godaime was more concerned with efficiency and smarts than she was with knowing jutsu. Naruto blinked. Well, Sakura was definitely both.

"Well, you must know some taijutsu," Hiroyuki helped.

"A little," she said quietly. Sakura actually knew quite a bit of taijutsu, thanks to her training partner Rock Lee. Tsunade had ordered Sakura to learn from someone that was her friend and didn't overly use the phrase "youthful" in all his sentences, even though Lee was almost just as bad as Gai-sensei. Needless to say, Sakura had gotten good at taijutsu, but she knew she would never be up to par with Lee's taijutsu skills.

"Well, then, who would like to fight her?"

"Nani?!" Sakura shouted, standing to her feet, her eyebrow twitching. "You never told anyone else that they had to do that!"

"Yes, but since we can't test your medical skills, you'll have to fight someone so that you _can_ display your medical skills," Hiroyuki admonished, his brown eyes looking like his intentions were quite obvious. Sakura felt her anger spike. No way was she going easy on this chuunin, whichever one decided to fight her. They didn't know about her super strength, but they would soon.

A grimace scrunched Sakura's face for a moment before she saw Naruto nod slightly from the corner of her eye. Well, at least he was doing her a favor, just as she had been doing for him. A chuunin suddenly stepped forward. He wore a simple outfit of mostly black, with a navy vest covering his chest. His hair was brown, but his eyes were wide and black. He was a Rain chuunin.

"I'll take her on!" he yelled.

"Who're you?" Sakura growled, her mood still not improving due to the fact that she would be forced to fight. Didn't _anyone_ take her seriously?

"I'm Kazukiro Naito."

"Just don't go too hard on her, Naito." Sakura's eyebrow twitched at Hiroyuki's words. Hell, forget the mission. No one was going to underestimate her. She would make sure that this chuunin would pay.

In a flash of realization, Sakura felt like herself again—back to when Naruto hadn't distanced himself from her, and they had been good friends. She hadn't acted like her true self in a long time, although she still had the occasional confrontation with upcoming perverts and a soon-to-be-perv Konohamaru. However, Moegi, who Sakura had realized looked up to the pink haired kunoichi, was taking care of Konohamaru.

"Don't worry, Hiroyuki-sensei! She's really tiny. I won't hurt her too much."

Naruto scoffed. Naito, or whatever his name was, shouldn't have said that. If one person knew Sakura almost as much as she knew herself, it was Naruto. He spent more time with her than anyone else, and it was surprising the small smile that curved his lips. He didn't realize that he had missed this side of Sakura. She had been so focused on missions and not upsetting him that she hadn't taken the time to be herself. He knew just what was going to happen.

"Kazukiro Naito, right?" The sweet, fake tones of Sakura's voice let Naruto know that she was even angrier than usual. She smiled sweetly. "Naito, I'd hang on to something if I were you."

With that, her fist slammed to the ground, creating an earthquake that shook the place, breaking the ground into quite a few large and small pieces. Naito muttered something unintelligible as he lost his balance, and Sakura was suddenly above him, her left hand glowing with green chakra as her fist connected with his stomach, shoving him to the ground and leaving a crater in his wake.

Naito grunted and attempted to stand, but a quick punch to his head knocked him out and into another guy. Though no chakra was present in the punch, it sent both boys flying a few extra feet. Sakura smirked. "Don't worry, Hiroyuki-sensei. No damage has been done to his internal organs. I was careful."

She sauntered over to Naruto and sat next to him, breathing out a sigh of relief. It felt good to release some of her anger. She'd have to do that more often. For now, Naruto seemed to be in a strangely good mood, and she smiled up at him. Her eyes met his slightly confused ones for a moment before turning away.

"Ah, yes, well…" Once past his initial shock, Hiroyuki gave a nervous glance at Naito, who was still unconscious. Hiroyuki couldn't believe it. Naito was his actual student, and he knew the boy worked hard. But to see him beaten so quickly by a girl was slightly unnerving. Hiroyuki took a moment to study Sakura. She was petite with a slightly small chest, but with very well-built thighs and calves. She stood at about 5'5" or 5'6", but she looked tinier and more fragile at first glance. _But what a temper_, he thought.

Sakura, however, was busy trying to decipher the quick flash of confusion that had lighted Naruto's blue eyes for a moment. It had been fleeting, but she had caught it none-the-less. She wasn't sure what was going on. She had seen more emotion from Naruto today than she had in three or four years.

Naruto himself was confused. Not only had Sakura come to sit by him again, but she must have felt his amused mood, because she had relaxed as well. He hadn't felt her this relaxed next to him in a long time. It reminded him of when they had been very close friends, of the times when there was at least a partial Team 7. Naruto didn't want to admit it, but he really missed spending most of his time with Sakura. They had talked a lot before, but now… there was nothing really. They talked about strategy and positions for a mission all right, but their relationship wasn't what it used to be. And surprisingly, Naruto found himself wishing now more than ever that they could go back to how it had been.

His guard was down, but at the moment, he wasn't really concerned with that. He was suddenly trying to figure out the strange feeling he felt as he remembered the contented look in Sakura's emerald eyes. It made him feel happy that she was content being with him, especially if he were in a good mood.

Blond brows pushed together could only mean one thing: Naruto was thinking. The pink haired medic nin didn't know that she was the object of his thoughts, but she was too busy noticing all the kunoichi eyeing Naruto to pay attention to her teammate. She would receive an occasional glare from some girl, but the majority of them laughed and giggled and pointed at Naruto's thinking face. Sakura suddenly eyed the dirt. Was this how she and Ino had been to Sasuke? If so, then no wonder the lone Uchiha had never paid them any attention. It was damn annoying, and scary to say the least.

A weak smile turned the corners of Sakura's lips. She missed her traitorous teammate; even though he had betrayed the village, she couldn't find it in herself to hate him. He had been her teammate, after all, and a comrade was supposed to stick by the ones they cared about. Team 7 wasn't complete without him, but she knew it might be a pointless attempt to try and get him back. Though Naruto hadn't really been working on leads to Sasuke, Sakura wasn't sure she minded. She got to make sure at least one of her teammates was safe, and she never tired of how perfectly in sync she and Naruto seemed to be.

"Sakura?" The voice was… confused? Worried? Slightly cold? Sakura couldn't choose. Just the fact that Naruto was so close to her when she turned towards him caused her heart to pound in her chest.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" This time, Naruto seemed to have a hold of himself. His usual calm voice was only slightly edged with worry; Sakura had to dig deep in order to find the certain tones in his voice.

"Nothing," she mumbled, just barely succeeding in fighting down the blood rushing to her face. "It's really nothing, Naruto."

He nodded, leaving her alone, but he couldn't understand why he was suddenly acting all caring, or… just being how he used to be. It was almost too easy to slip back into his old lifestyle, but he couldn't understand why this was happening. Out here, away from the painful memories of Konoha, must be doing something to his mind. Or it was those three days he had spent in the same room with Sakura.

For the next hour, Sakura and Naruto sat next to each other in slightly strained silence. Sakura noticed the glares sent her way and the looks of love sent Naruto's way. Finally, a bell rang throughout the yard, signaling the end of the session. Each chuunin was handed a scroll, one that contained the same jutsu inside. They were all told to study the first jutsu because there might be a test.

Sakura grumbled, slightly in annoyance, and slightly in fear. "I don't even know what my element is." She didn't expect Naruto to answer.

He shrugged. "No harm in learning water."

The kunoichi pursed her lips. She was having fun speaking her mind again, but only because there had been something in Naruto's eyes that she had seen. "Quit being such a bastard, Naruto…" she growled, lightly punching his arm. Naruto smirked, amused by Sakura's sudden brashness. It had been quite a few years since she had hit him, even playfully. He knew instinctively that the growl in Sakura's throat wasn't real.

"I'm not being a bastard. You need to learn to do some water jutsu. Who knows, maybe you'll be as strong as I am one day."

"Baka!" Sakura laughed, but slightly yelled. "I _am_ stronger than you! I can throw your ass halfway across Konoha if I so wished it!"

"But could you catch me if I ran away?" Naruto teased.

She huffed in indignation but walked up the steps next to him to walk into a large classroom on the left. Tadashi Seiichi, the brother with the scars, stood at the front of the classroom, conversing with a pretty black-haired woman. Two of the chuunin whistled, and Seiichi's face turned a brilliant shade of red, as did the woman's. Sakura noticed a girl nudge the two boys, scolding them.

Naruto and Sakura sat in the back of the classroom next to each other, but both could tell the other was thinking by their sudden silence. Sakura couldn't understand what was going on. She was acting like she always did around perverts such as Konohamaru and her normal friends. She made sure to act tough around Naruto because she was sure that he didn't like her… slightly violent nature. Especially since he was a little on edge recently.

But she hadn't understood that quick flash of real concern in his eyes. She had only spaced out for a moment, thinking about something that she would rather forget, and it was as if he were his old self again, caring for her and wanting to comfort her. Only without the "chan". She had to admit that she missed it. She missed his carefree nature, despite knowing that he almost always hurt underneath the façade.

Naruto, on the other hand, had his mouth in a grim line. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be cutting himself off from people, attempting not to repeat the first fourteen years of his life. Fourteen years of pain and suffering. People had never accepted him. He didn't want any more pain.

Then why was he talking like that with Sakura? Why did it suddenly feel so _right_ when he teased her like that, when she punched him lightly, or gave him one of her amused smiles? It hadn't happened in a long time, and he didn't want to get close to her. He didn't want to hurt himself, and he didn't want to hurt her.

_That's bullshit._

_It is not, Kyuubi!_ Naruto growled._ I don't want her hurt. I don't want to be hurt. You know that she's only interested in me getting Sasuke back._

_That's not what I meant, Twerp. I know you want to get close to her. I know what feelings lay beneath the surface._

_You're wrong._

_Am I?_

Naruto clenched his teeth. For once, he truly couldn't answer the Kyuubi, and he did not want to admit defeat. Still, Kyuubi's words echoed in his mind, and he hated those words. Hated them, because he thought he had forced those feelings and wants from his mind a long time ago. Sakura was nothing more than a friend… Right?

Kyuubi growled harshly. _No one can rid themselves of feelings they have no control over!_ the fox barked angrily. _If you don't still care at least a little bit for her, then why did you tell me you didn't want her to get hurt?_

_Just shut up, you damn fox!_ With that, Naruto shut off all communications with the demon. The blonde was breathing with a little difficulty, but he refused to answer the fox's question. He refused to admit that the contented smile Sakura had given him had caused his heart to jump, his pulse to quicken, and his knees shake, just like it did when he was twelve years old.

"Naruto? Naruto!" Sakura whispered urgently. Ever since his fist had begun to tighten around the edge of the desk, Sakura knew that whatever he was thinking had to be stopped before he destroyed something. "Naruto, are you all right?"

His eyes flashed to hers. He didn't have time to fix his expression. His mouth was taut and his blue eyes were angry and as cold as frozen steel. The surprise and fear that suddenly lit her green eyes caused him to wake from his frenzy. Her jade orbs widened in shock before she eyed the table nervously.

"Sorry."

Her whispered apology made everything worse. Her shoulders were slumped in confusion, and she leaned forward to rest her head on her arms. She heaved a sigh, the sound reiterating what Naruto already thought: she was confused. He felt suddenly compelled to make it right.

"No, I'm sorry. I was thinking… and you caught me off guard…"

She nodded, but her eyes still didn't meet his.

Was it enough? "Really, I'm—"

"Don't worry about it." Her tone was soft, forgiving, and yet he could hear the slight hurt in her voice. Sakura bit her lip, trying to keep the tears from falling. The last thing Naruto needed to see was her crying. She tried to tell herself that he had just been thinking, and it hadn't been directed at her. But she felt as if the coldness in his oceanic eyes was made just for her. Why did she have to keep screwing this up? They had just started to get comfortable, and now she had to start all over again. She was surprised, however, that Naruto had in turn apologized. It made his stare seem… less personal.

Sakura almost jumped when the bell rang. The teacher's voice barely reached her ringing ears.

"Everybody get a scroll! Make sure to read! We'll go over everyone's name and such tomorrow. Don't forget, now!" Seiichi cried as the mill of students hurried to exit his classroom. He sighed before handing Naruto a scroll, who in turn handed it to Sakura. Her eyes showed the surprise she felt, but the blonde knew that simple words wouldn't be able to say he was sorry. Actions were a must as well.

"Um, thanks," she mumbled.

"Sure," he said simply, walking with her down the hall and two the third door on the right. Tadashi Daichi was already waiting, and there were desks arranged in a strange pattern throughout the room. Daichi motioned for them to sit down, and pulled out a thick handful of thin sheets of paper. Daichi smiled.

"These are chakra papers. They are extremely sensitive to the slightest amount of chakra, so we will all be learning what element of chakra we possess." Daichi drew a picture of a circle. At certain points along the circle, Daichi drew a kanji for the five elemental chakras: fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water. He proceeded to explain the order in which they worked before calling up a chuunin to the front of the room.

"Daichi-sensei, do I have to?" the chuunin complained.

"Of course!" Daichi snapped. "I'm not sure where you are from—"

"Iwa," the chuunin provided quickly.

"—Iwa, then, but do not expect me to go easy on you. I need to know who has a main element other than water." Daichi turned to the Iwa chuunin. "Don't whine in my classroom ever, _ever_ again."

Grey hair flopped. Even though the chuunin was young, his hair was a light grey. Much like Kakashi's hair, Sakura realized. The grey-haired ninja pumped a small amount of chakra into his fingers, concentrating on the small square held in his hands. The paper became waterlogged.

The Iwa chuunin sat down hurriedly while Daichi threw the paper away. It proceeded like that throughout the whole class. The chuunin stood at the front of the class and pumped chakra into their fingers. Most of the papers were heavy with water, but a few turned to small bits of dust, signaling an earth element. A few crinkled, the lightning element belonging to a few of the cloud chuunin. Two other chuunins possessed the wind element, and only one possessed fire chakra. Naruto's paper split in two, and finally, it was Sakura's turn to go. Naruto heard her mumble something about always being last, and a small smile graced his lips.

Sakura took the small piece of paper from Daichi's outstretched hand. "Arigatou, Daichi-sensei."

"Do you know what your element is?"

The kunoichi shook her head slowly. Daichi smiled.

"Well, go on. You won't know until you push some of your raw chakra into the paper. It's very sensitive, so you only need a little."

Sakura bit her lip as she carefully pushed a little bit of chakra into the paper. She knew how powerful her chakra could be, and if she didn't put the correct amount into the paper, it would either misjudge her chakra nature, or would explode if there were too much chakra pushed into the thin fibers. She waited for a moment, and watched in surprise as the paper grew soggy with water.

"Well, it looks like only a handful of you are here to learn another element besides water. Only about three of you have wind chakra. That isn't a problem, however. It is not the most common element to possess, as well as fire. The Uchiha from the Fire Country are the most common clan to have the fire element, but they are not the only ones that have it."

Green eyes flicked to Naruto in worry. She had seen the slight stiffening of his shoulders, and knew him well enough to know that Sasuke was still a sensitive topic. It was for her, too, but she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about it. She hadn't seen Sasuke since she was fifteen. Even then, it was just for a moment, and that small moment sent a pang in her heart. He had been so different, not at all the Sasuke that she had known. She did miss him, but not if he was as cold as she had seen. He had almost tried to kill Naruto!

A ridiculously happy face covered in bandages flitted into her conscious, and she hung her head. He had heard that Sasuke had seriously tried to kill Naruto when she had asked the blonde to find the runaway Uchiha. She had seen the bandages that had covered almost every part of his body. If she could get Sasuke back at the cost of Naruto's life, then she didn't want Sasuke. She didn't want either of them to die, but Naruto of all people didn't deserve to die, especially since he had sworn to keep his promise to her selfish request.

"Uzumaki-san? Haruno-san?" Daichi asked.

"Hai?" Sakura spoke quickly, hoping that she hadn't been spacing for too long. By the look on Naruto's face, he had been spacing, too.

"Were you able to get to know any Uchihas?"

Naruto's sharp eyes caught the slight flinch on Sakura's face. He watched her nod, her eyes slightly guarded, but he could still see the pain.

"Hai, Daichi-sensei. I knew one." She didn't look at her teacher, but she knew that he waited for her to continue. She hated thinking about Sasuke's betrayal. It had hurt her a lot, and it had hurt Naruto. He had hurt so many people. "Naruto and I were his teammates."

"It's true, then?"

Naruto felt his fists clench. Daichi was oblivious to the pain that he was causing him and Sakura. Especially Sakura. He didn't know how much it hurt, and he was pressing the matter as if it were a comment on the weather.

"Hai. Our teammate was Uchiha Sasuke. Itachi is now dead, and Sasuke is the last living Uchiha. Konoha has labeled him a missing nin. And if you're wondering, yes, their fire attacks can be very dangerous. Dangerous and life-threatening, not to mention any other element that they might learn."

_Chidori_. The word reverberated in Naruto's skull as he remembered that fatal blow to his right shoulder. He refused to let Kyuubi heal it. It was a reminder of the promise he had to keep, and he felt a renewed vigor to find the bastard. Naruto knew that Sasuke had left Sakura out in the cold that night, and he also knew the pain she had gone through. Why did Daichi have to bring it up now?

"You mean his lightning attacks?" Daichi asked eagerly. Sakura winced. Apparently he was too blind to see that the subject wasn't the best.

Sakura barely nodded, the numbness she had felt from his full-body chidori returning. That had been one of the worst experiences of her life. Not being in control of her own body and not feeling her fingers or legs or arms had scared her for those few moments until it had worn off. Thankfully, the bell rang, signaling the end of class and the discussion. Sakura stood up hurriedly, rushing out of the room before anyone else had managed to stand. Naruto moved slowly, walking behind the rest of the class. Daichi grabbed Naruto's arm, waiting until the others had left.

"Is she all right? Did I say something wrong?" Daichi was worried, and Naruto could see that, but for some reason, seeing the hurt in Sakura's eyes again was almost enough to send him over the edge. He hadn't seen that look in her eyes for almost two years, and it was too soon to see it again.

"Don't _ever_ mention the Uchiha in front of me or my partner. Talk about it to your fellow friends, but never in front of us again."

Daichi stepped back and gulped from the icy stare Naruto threw at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt Haruno-san. I just… didn't notice until too late…"

"Apologize to Sakura. Not me." Naruto shook his arm from his teacher's grasp and walked quickly out of the room. No one was looking, so he used the body flicker technique to suddenly appear in front of his room. The body flicker was only supposed to be used by jounin, but Naruto had learned it a few months ago. Sakura was still trying to perfect it.

His hand rose to knock on the wood of the door. He heard a small gasp, knowing that she had sensed his chakra. He let the sound of bone on wood echo for a moment before opening the door. She was sitting on the bed, immersed in one of the scrolls that had been handed out. Light glinted softly off of her cheeks, bringing to attention a small tear track running halfway down her face. He moved to open his mouth, but Sakura looked up, the words hurriedly spilling from her lips.

"I'm going to go see if I can practice this, okay?" Her voice was shaky, and she hurried from the room. Naruto glanced to her bed, noticing that she hadn't taken the scroll with her. He grunted, cursing the man for reminding her of such things. Naruto had initially screwed up their small moment of fun, but he'd be damned if anyone made her upset again.

_Protective, aren't we?_

_I…!_ Naruto tried to protest, but it was futile. Dead. _I don't want her getting hurt anymore. I've already hurt her enough. I haven't gotten Sasuke back, and there's no way that she's actually enjoyed spending time with me._

_And you don't hurt?_

Naruto flexed his jaw. _That's different._

_Is it really so different? She was made fun of for her appearances until you and Ino came along. You were made fun of because of me until Sakura became your childhood friend. She would have been your friend had not her parents talked about you otherwise. Is your pain so different from hers?_

_Yes! She didn't have a demon in her! She wasn't beaten!_

_But no one really accepted her. You know that. Ino's intentions were good, but she became different. Sakura fought for acceptance from the Uchiha, just like you did from her._

_Dammit, I know she hurt me! If you claim to have been here for at least a little part of my life you would know what she's called me!_

_That's what I'm saying,_ the demon growled. _You want to protect her from the same pain that she inflicted on you. I thought you had changed, Twerp. Yet she's still the one person you talk to, the one person that you try to live for. Will you ever give up?_

The last part was said differently. Naruto couldn't tell from the tones of the demon's deep voice, but it sounded as if Kyuubi was hoping that he _wouldn't_ give up.

_She's sensitive to your moods…_

_And?_ Naruto growled. He hated to admit it, but he was curious as to what Kyuubi meant. _How is that relevant?_

_She annoyed the Uchiha to death._

For the hundredth time, Naruto felt stumped.

_She wasn't necessarily concerned with how the Uchiha felt. She constantly made him things and did things for him, instead of thinking that knowing him would gain her acceptance. You in turn, annoyed her. Do you really know all about her? Do you really know her like you say you do? You'd be surprised at how many things she knows about you._

_I do know about her! I've spent almost my whole life near her or on her team!_

_True._

_What are you saying then, fox?_ Naruto was getting angry. He only called Kyuubi that when he was annoyed, but the damn fox deserved it for being cryptic.

_Then can you say for certain that she holds your broken promise against you?_

"What?" Naruto breathed, the word barely coming out of his mouth. The whisper almost couldn't be heard in the silence, but Naruto's eyes were wide, his mind spinning. Of course she wanted Sasuke back!

Didn't she?

_Kyuubi!_ No answer. _Kyuubi! Dammit, Kyuubi! Answer me!_ The demon refused. Naruto slammed his fist on the bed, hearing the coils protest weakly from his strength. Why did he have to come to Amegakure? Things were getting out of hand. His emotions were suddenly showing again for Sakura, no matter how hard he tried to stop them. Ever since that smile she had given him, that smile that he hadn't seen in two years… he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted her just as much as he did back then.

00000

Sakura huffed as the sun began to fade. It was only three hours after noon; the sun shouldn't be setting. Her pink brows furrowed as she noticed dark clouds gathering overhead. It would be raining soon.

Amegakure had gotten a lot more pleasant since Pein had been defeated. It didn't rain nearly half as much, and the Rain Village was actually very nice despite the humidity. It had been sunny for four days straight; it was time for the clouds to roll in again and cover the village with water. Sudden raindrops gently dripped onto Sakura's cut and bruised hands. She collapsed onto the ground, letting the rain harden as it pelted her scalp and skin.

Why had Daichi brought up the subject of Sasuke? She was getting along fine with just his memory and the occasional pang in her heart because of his betrayal. It still hurt—the way he had left her. Knocking her out and leaving her in the cold night was certainly a strange way to say "thank you". But what had he been thanking her for? Trying? It was possible.

But he could certainly be selfish. She took away the thought that at least he cared for her somewhat. He had intervened to save her from the chuunin on their first mission when they had gone to the Wave Country. But she was a girl, and he was guy. He had been taught to protect—at least for the time that his parents had lived. And yet, she couldn't understand why the fact that Sasuke had tried to kill Naruto _twice_ made her angry. She was in love with Sasuke!

She sucked in a breath. Whatever she had felt for Sasuke could be dimming. She remembered all their good times together, but everything was just starting to get too confusing. Sasuke was still out there, probably not wanting to be found, but she would make sure that Naruto and she brought him back to where he belonged. She was excited in that fact.

And yet, that concerned tone in Naruto's voice, the look in his blue eyes had sent her heart pounding in her chest. She remembered feeling that way when Sasuke was close, but never as much as it had when Naruto's blue eyes had met hers. She couldn't remember Sasuke making her reaction that bad. She had almost blushed, too! Blushed!

Why was this all so confusing? Both Sasuke and Naruto were two of her most precious friends. Now, however, with Naruto's attitude close to Sasuke's, she talked more to Ino or Hinata than she did with Naruto. Conversation with Sasuke was non-existent, of course.

Sakura grimaced as she suddenly felt the cold. That was the bad thing about the rain in Amegakure. It was freezing. Sakura stood slowly, her wet hair plastering to her face and her soaked clothes sticking to her skin. She trudged up to the room, glad that the rain had wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks. She didn't want Naruto to think she was weak and had been crying again.

She entered the room, Naruto's eyes quickly flicking to her wet form. She couldn't help but notice the surprise that crossed his blue orbs. She motioned quietly to the bathroom to her right.

"Um, I'm just going to shower."

Naruto nodded dumbly, and she hurriedly put on the hot water, sighing in relief as it took away her body's aches and her mind's worry. Here in this warmth, she could relax as if none of this were important. She made sure to take a long time, wanting to calm her troubled heart before having to face Naruto. She knew that she had to study, and she would. Studying also helped to calm her, and she wasn't one to procrastinate.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she noticed Naruto was gone from the room. There was a note on her bed written in his messy scrawl. She held the towel in place as she read over the words, smiling a little to herself at the last part of the note. He had gone out to meet Kakashi. Apparently, there was something he forgot, and the silver-haired jounin was sent to bring it to him.

_I'll be back_, Naruto had written. Sakura bit her lip. Something was starting to change about him, and it was good. Maybe this mission had been for the better. If nothing else, Naruto was beginning to talk to her more, even though the moments afterward were extremely awkward. She didn't mind trying, though. She didn't want Naruto to end up cold and shut off from the world, or at least from her. Because of Sasuke's attitude, it had been easier for Orochimaru to reach out and grab him. Sakura didn't want the same thing happening to Naruto.

She quickly dressed and sat on her bed, pulling out the scroll that Seiichi had given her. She would study the water jutsu later.

00000

A flash of black and orange jumped in front of black, green, and silver. Naruto slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Yo," Kakashi smiled, his one visible eye crinkling.

"Kakashi-sensei, why are you here?"

The jounin placed a hand in his pocket, his eye turning towards Naruto. He was so impatient these days. "Ano, you forgot your katana. Tsunade-sama asked me to deliver it to you. And Sakura's. You both apparently don't like to carry them around." Kakashi pointed to his left breast pocket on his jounin vest. The swords were in the safe place of a storage scroll.

"We don't like to use them."

"I noticed."

Naruto turned his head impatiently before resting his eyes back on his old sensei. "I mean it, Kakashi-sensei. Why are you here?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You."

"What about your genin team?"

"They didn't pass the chuunin exams."

"That's not a viable reason, Kakashi-sensei. I know that there's something else you're not telling me. Tell me now before I force it out of you."

"Hold on. I didn't want to tell you tonight, but I suppose you should know. I was suspended from teaching my genin team. Not because I did anything wrong, but because Tsunade needed me to teach you again."

"What about Sakura?"

"I'll teach her, too. Prepare her for what is to come."

"Prepare?" Naruto's voice had reached a deadly pitch, and his eyes grew hard.

Again, Kakashi shrugged. "Hai. Tsunade-sama sent me here on account to teach you and Sakura because of a rumor. She had heard from a few sources that not only is the missing nin you two are looking for in this area, but that Sasuke is also here. I was assigned to train you for a few lightning techniques."

"Sakura can't know Sasuke is here."

"Why not?"

Naruto couldn't answer. His reasons were not good reasons, even though he almost considered them good. He just couldn't say that he didn't want her getting hurt again, and yet, he almost didn't want her to know for a selfish reason. He wanted her to forget about Sasuke, because maybe then Naruto would have a chance to get to know her, to maybe at least be best friends once again. He couldn't do that with her knowing about Sasuke.

"She's not the love-sick genin she once was. You yourself have attested to her strength and battle prowess. Beating an Akatsuki member when at fifteen, and another at sixteen is hardly something you would call weak. She's stronger than you know, Naruto."

"I know she's not weak." He knew that almost better than anyone. She was one of the strongest kunoichi he knew, and not just physically.

"Then let her show you her strength. Let her speak to you. I have seen her working with you plenty of times. She wants to help you." Kakashi knew that Naruto professed the fact that he didn't need friends, but the silver-haired jounin knew otherwise. He knew the blonde wanted a friend. He was just afraid of getting hurt, betrayed, and let down like so many other countless times.

Naruto nodded slowly, his head downcast. His earlier thoughts bounced around in his head, now joined by his sensei's words. Did she really want to help? The blonde bit his lip. The only way to find out was to try to get close to her, and risk getting hurt again if he were wrong.

* * *

**A/N:** Third chapter. Let me know what you guys think.

- wolf's paradise


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Ah, sorry I'm a little late in getting this chapter out! I meant to put it up last night, but that didn't quite work. I ended up forgetting. But, I hope you like the new installment to this story! It's not one of my longest chapters, but it's got a fair amount of length to it.

To all my reviewers:

Believeit6: Acknowledgement is always nice, though, right? Lol! I'm going to keep on acknowledging, though!

Dbzftdogfan: Well, I'm glad you like my story so far!

Zaisuro: Yup, yup! Sakura's getting back to her old self with some butt kicking! Just to warn you, though, there won't be too much fighting in this story, cause I don't think I'm really good at that sort of thing, but I will try to make it exciting! And fights are good, so there will be quite a few, though!

As for my betas, I thank you three wonderful people ( .love, believeit6, and Tori) for bearing with me through this chapter!

Enjoy, readers!

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura waved. She moved over to where the jounin was walking with Naruto. She had been on her way to the classroom when she had spotted Naruto and Kakashi in the rain. "Did Naruto get whatever he forgot?"

Kakashi nodded. "Hai. But you forgot something, too." He slowly walked to her, hands relaxed in his pockets. He stepped into the doorframe and out of the rain. Naruto joined him a moment later.

"You forgot your katana," the silver-haired shinobi admonished.

A nervous laugh echoed out of Sakura's lips. "Gomen, Kakashi-sensei." She looked at him a moment, and her green eyes hardened in determination. "I can't take it, sensei. I left it behind for a reason."

Silver eyebrows rose. "Hmm? Why not?"

Her look challenged his, and her arms crossed tightly. "I understand that if I want to be in ANBU, I will have to carry a short sword. But you know I'm not exactly a sword person." She had good reason, too. A Chidori sword pierced in Yamato's shoulder was not the best image whenever she tried to use her katana.

Kakashi shrugged. "I know. But, it's the Hokage's orders."

Sakura huffed, and rolled her eyes. "All right, Kakashi-sensei. But why doesn't Naruto have to carry his sword?" she complained.

The jounin's eye crinkled. "He doesn't need to carry it. Just… have it around. I don't mind what you do or where you put your swords, just so long as you have them and I don't get in trouble."

Sakura smiled. "Come here, Naruto. We'll be late."

The blonde looked up, wet hair spilling over his eyes. Though puzzled, he stepped over slowly. Sakura flipped through two seals and placed her hand on Naruto's chest. His eyes widened, and he couldn't stop his heart rate from speeding. He willed his heart to stop pounding for fear that Sakura would hear it.

His eyes widened even more as he felt the water being sucked from his clothes. His hair was still a little wet, but he was completely dry.

Sakura quickly ruffled Naruto's damp blond hair, a soft smile on her lips. She hoped he hadn't been offended by her action; she just couldn't believe how stunning he looked. She slapped her hands together as if she were wiping off dirt, hoping the action would calm her. She caught the incredulous look in his eyes.

"Naruto, I don't think the teachers would appreciate you dripping water onto the floors," she said nonchalantly.

He nodded dumbly. Sakura turned to leave, but Kakashi's voice stopped her.

"Sakura, where did you learn that technique?"

"The Water Removal Jutsu?" When her sensei nodded, Sakura waved her hand. "Oh, it's nothing, really. Tsunade-shishou taught me the technique. It's to help keep teammates, or areas of rest, or even patients dry. Should the need arise, of course."

"What's your chakra element?" Kakashi was intrigued now.

"Water." Her head cocked to the side, unsure as to what Kakashi was saying. "I found out yesterday."

"Hmm." The jounin thought a moment. "Not very many shinobi know that technique. It's mostly used by ninja with an affinity for water, and it's a very useful jutsu as well. The water is transferred into chakra as the body absorbs it."

"Y-yes," Sakura murmured, awestruck.

However, Kakashi was the only one that seemed to notice Naruto's eyes still glued to Sakura. He smiled slightly. Perhaps his student was taking his advice. Though Naruto had been quite annoying when he was younger, that didn't mean Kakashi didn't end up liking the boy. Naruto reminded Kakashi of Obito, and though it pained him slightly, it was as though he could be with his teammate again.

Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Well, I'm going. After your classes are done, meet me at Training Ground Eight. There's a map in your room. It shouldn't be too much trouble, especially since you know the Water Removal Jutsu, Sakura."

Though she didn't like the thought of training in the rain, Sakura nodded and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Great. Come on, Naruto. Now we're _really_ going to be late." She missed the small, pointed look that passed from Kakashi to Naruto.

"Waru, waru!" Kakashi smiled. His hand made a single sign, and he was gone. Sakura, on the other hand, was busy pulling Naruto towards their class. Her eyebrows were knitted with worry. She had only ever been late to the Academy one day. She wasn't about to taint her record because of a _sword_.

Naruto let himself be dragged through the hall. No one liked to come into contact with him, and the fact that Sakura was holding his hand was sending fire up his arm. She hurried into the room, Naruto in tow. He noticed quite a few of the glares that Sakura received from the many kunoichi in the room, but he didn't care. He was only slightly concerned about his reputation at the moment.

"Gomen, Hiroyuki-sensei! Akane-sensei! My teacher—!"

"Hai, hai. There was a note saying that you two would be late this morning." Hiroyuki continued to face the class of chuunin.

"There was?" Sakura replied. She was definitely surprised. It was no secret to most of Konoha that Kakashi was habitually late. It wasn't that he was lazy. She only knew a little bit about what had happened for Kakashi to achieve the Sharingan, and Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to know more. It was his own private business, but at least she knew why he was late.

"Hai. Now if you two could _please_ take your seats? The two right here will be fine." The jounin pointed to two desks directly in the front. Sakura clenched her fist—unfortunately, it was the one holding Naruto's hand. His blue eyes widened as he hauled her to the desk.

"You're crushing my hand!" he hissed quietly once he had sat down. Sakura mumbled an apology and Naruto flexed his hand, knowing that nothing was broken. However, it would take a little while before his hand would heal from the bruise.

Half an hour of droning passed before Hiroyuki clapped his hands. "It's still raining outside, so we'll be practicing in here. There is a jutsu around the room that will absorb any water, so we don't have to worry about soaking the wood."

"So," Akane interjected, "we are splitting you into teams of two. You don't have to work with your partner, but no sparring. This is a small classroom, and I won't have you dimwits ruining it."

Hiroyuki continued. "The teams are as follows: Kazukiro Naito and Haruno Sakura…"

The pink haired kunoichi groaned. Of all people, she had to get paired with _him_? He was the one that had called her tiny. She didn't even pay attention to the other names called until a certain one caught her attention.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Norimino Kotone."

A scream of happiness filled the room, and Naruto placed his head in his hands. Was this how Sasuke had felt about all those fangirls? Well, Naruto certainly felt for Sasuke in this area. Those damn girls were annoying. He knew it had been wishful thinking to hope to be put on Sakura's team, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to be with any other person. Ever since his three-year trip, he had been hiding his emotions, trying to prevent himself from constantly getting hurt.

He watched as a pale-haired girl came to stand next to him. A ridiculously happy smile was plastered on her face. But what confused him was the fact that her hair was a pale grey, almost ghostly, yet her eyes were sepia-colored. She was a little too large on the top half for his taste, and her hips were slightly smaller than her ribcage. She wasn't very tall—only about five feet and three inches. Her complexion was flawless, but a shade lighter than his tan skin.

By his standards, she didn't seem like much. Her personality seemed shallow—a lot like Ino's when he had first met her. She, however, had grown into a priceless spy.

His eyes flicked over, watching Sakura move over to stand by Naito, the poor chuunin that she had taken out the other day. His brown hair was slightly wild, and one of his arms was bandaged. His black eyes were studying Sakura as she walked, appraising her. Naruto felt a familiar feeling flare in his chest.

Jealousy hadn't shown itself since he and Sasuke would "fight" for Sakura's affection. The memory didn't make the feeling die as he saw that Naito really wasn't that bad looking. Sakura sat down, putting her fingers on her temples. To others, it looked as if she were troubled or in pain, but Naruto knew that was the way she thought. It was similar to Shikamaru's 'o'.

"So," a high voice trilled with girlish laughter. God, this girl's voice could kill. How high _was_ her voice? "What should we do, Naruto-kun?" She giggled as she said his name, suddenly widening her eyes. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself properly! I'm Kotone!"

Naruto didn't look at her. His eyes appeared to be staring into space, even though he was carefully watching Sakura. He heard another giggle, and flinched. Kotone was seventeen?

"You're obviously Naruto. It's going to be fun working together!"

Sakura could hear the girl's squeal all the way on the other side of the room. In a way, she did pity Naruto, and yet she knew that Kotone was very pretty. Many of the male chuunin that were from the Rain Village eyed her secretively. A few other fangirls stared at Naruto. They were obviously in Kotone's close ring of friends.

The medic nin heaved a sigh. She was trying to remember what steps Naruto had taken to learn the Rasenshuriken. He had to put his own element into the jutsu, but he had had to learn how to properly use the wind. He had cut leaves. He had cut through a waterfall. What could she cut through?

A scowl lowered the corners of her mouth as she felt Naito's stare. She tried to ignore it and focus on the cycle. Fire, wind, lightning, earth, water, fire… Well, besides Kakashi, there was only one chuunin that possessed the fire element, and she doubted that he knew many of the jutsu associated with fire. She could try canceling out the fire, but that would take too long, and just might kill her in the process. Besides, one needed an actual jutsu to stop a fire attack.

She was already a well-trained medical ninja. Precise chakra control was especially important for that line of work—even more important than being able to hold and condense a Rasengan. Sakura already had one step down. Could she move earth? Or erode it? It sounded plausible, and it could work. But for the step before that…

The pink haired kunoichi stood, easily breaking off a small piece of the desk. If she could wet this entire thing, then she'd be on her way. Sakura was used to chakra coming out of her hands, but this was different. This was her element, and she concentrated on liquefying her chakra. She pushed the chakra into her hand, smiling in delight as she felt something wet her skin.

However, only a small part of the desk piece had gotten wet. She tried again, but no more of the wood dampened. She clenched her jaw in frustration, gasping suddenly when two hands cupped one of hers. She looked up to see Naito standing in front of her, a grin on his face as one of his hands picked up her other one.

"Look, I just want to apologize for saying what I did that first day. I guess you're not tiny, and you quite thoroughly kicked my ass. I'm supposed to be one of the most promising of my generation, too."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed. What had brought this on? "Um… Thanks?"

Naito laughed. "So, I'm going to stop being rude and formerly introduce myself. I'm Kazukiro Naito, chuunin of the Rain Village and student of Hiroyuki-sensei. You?"

"Haruno… Sakura."

"Aw, come on! No more information?"

Pink lips pursed. "I'm being trained by two sensei."

"Was one of them that silver-haired weirdo with the mask all over his face?"

Naito grunted as a fist hit the top of his head, effectively sending him to the floor. "Don't talk about Kakashi-sensei like that! He's not a weirdo! Okay, so does read Icha Icha a lot, but he's a good teacher!"

"Kakashi? As in Hatake Kakashi, _the_ Copy Ninja?" Naito asked incredulously as he stood. Sakura nodded.

"Man, that's awesome!" he cried. "I've heard he's learned over a thousand jutsu! Does he really have the Sharingan?"

"Yes," Sakura mumbled, annoyed with Naito's attitude. He was seventeen and acting like Naruto had when he was thirteen. Even if Naruto hadn't decided to cut himself off from his friends, she doubted that he would be this bad. Naruto was surprisingly mature, even when he had been thirteen. She remembered the first time she had witnessed the Kyuubi, even though she hadn't noticed at the time. It was in the Forest of Death, when Naruto had saved Sasuke from Orochimaru's snake.

Orochimaru… Snake… Sasuke… Naruto…

Why did everything have to suddenly remind her of the bastard! She knew she loved him, and she wanted to hate him for defecting from the village. It had been a ridiculous idea, not to mention that Naruto's promise to her caused him to almost run himself to the ground until Jiraiya took over the blonde's training.

For a moment, she wanted Sasuke to disappear. She wished that he had never even lived. There would be no betrayal, no heartache, no awkward relationship between her and Naruto, no trying to find him.

"Hey! Hey, Sakura-san, are you okay?" Naito asked.

The use of familiarization caused her to snap out of her reverie. Naito had his hands on her shoulders, looking into her troubled green eyes. Sakura pulled herself from his grasp, mumbling that she was fine. Her eyes flicked across the room, and met Naruto's piercing blue orbs. She sucked in a breath. He knew what her spacing out had been about, and there was something troubling him. Something that she hadn't exactly noticed before.

A spike of jealously shot up her stomach as Kotone latched herself onto Naruto's arm. How dare she do that! She didn't know how Naruto acted, his personality… She knew nothing about him! When her teammate pushed the girl off of his arm, the jealousy withered, and Sakura snickered. He seemed completely annoyed with the whole thing, and Sakura suddenly realized this was exactly how she had looked when she had been crushing on Sasuke.

A ring echoed in her ears, rescuing her from hearing more of Naito's concern. Saved by the bell. She was starting to like that phrase.

00000

The two other class periods had nothing exciting, and Sakura really wondered why they didn't make the program better. Granted, it was the first year doing this, but they could at least make it interesting. Seiichi was fun despite the boring subject. He tried to make jokes. Daichi was as enthusiastic as usual about chakra elements, thankfully only mentioning fire jutsu in passing.

Sakura hurried up to her and Naruto's room, the blonde following silently behind her. She quickly put away her scrolls, and turned to Naruto. A troubled look was on his face, and it didn't seem as though he were paying attention. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he tensed in surprise. Her worried eyes met his.

"What's wrong? I know something's bothering you."

Naruto was surprised. He had tried masking his uncertainty about telling her Kakashi's news, but she had apparently seen through it. How right was Kyuubi? How well could Sakura understand him?

"I know you better than you think," she sighed.

His eyes flicked to hers. He took a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. "Sasuke is in the area. Near us in Amegakure."

"Oh." Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked at the ground. Her front teeth came to bite her bottom lip in concentration. There it was again. Sasuke. As if she hadn't been reminded of him enough. She was almost sick of him. She felt a small pit of anger flare in her chest, and her eyes flashed to Naruto's.

"We're doing this _together_."

He shook his head sadly. "No. I made a promise. I'll bring him back."

Sakura ground her teeth, knowing that Naruto was telling her to stand back, and he'd get Sasuke himself. She knew his stubbornness, so she at least had to compromise. It wasn't something she always liked doing, but she'd do it for Naruto.

Her fist closed around the collar of his t-shirt. "Fine. But don't you _dare_ get hurt, or almost kill yourself because of your promise."

"My promise? But—"

She shook her head. "If your promise means that you'll kill yourself, then I don't want you to bring him back."

"But I—"

"No. _Promise_ me that that you won't let yourself get killed."

He nodded, and tilted his head in confusion as a sigh escaped her lips and her eyes closed in relief. Her action puzzled him; he never thought those words would come out of her mouth.

Sakura knew that probably hadn't been the best thing to say, but she wanted him to promise that he wouldn't let himself die. She had already lost one teammate, and what if that teammate disappeared again after he killed Naruto? She wasn't sure what was cutting her heart worse: the thought of Naruto dead or the thought that Sasuke wouldn't come back to Konoha.

"We should go," she said quickly, whipping around and making sure she had placed her weapons' pouch on correctly. She put on an older pair of boots, unwilling to dirty her newer ones in the foul weather.

"Oh, Naruto?"

He turned, the high, uncertain note in her voice pulling him back. Her hands twisted nervously.

"Thank you," she replied softly. "For telling me."

Shoulders shrugged, but Sakura could see the small smile that touched Naruto's lips. He walked out of the room, and Sakura hurriedly followed after him.

00000

Pink eyebrows quirked dangerously. Sakura did _not_ like standing in the rain, and the fact that Kakashi wasn't here yet wasn't doing anything to help her anger. If she got sick, so help her…

"Yo!" Kakashi used his normal greeting, raising his voice slightly to be heard above the rain. Before he could think, he was on the muddy ground, a small pain echoing in his skull. "Sakura?"

She growled impatiently. "Well, I figured I would just hit you instead of yell at you. Maybe if I hit you enough, then you'll be on time, and not make me _stand_ in the _rain._"

Kakashi smiled nervously as he stood. "Waru, waru!" When he didn't get an answer from either of his students, Kakashi sighed. "Well, I came here to speak to you two privately. In this rain, our senses are a little dull, but it's harder for people to hear us."

"You brought us here to _talk?!_" Sakura fumed. Kakashi started nervously at her outburst, hoping that her personality hadn't taken on certain impatient characteristics of the village's Hokage.

"Sakura…" Naruto made sure his voice could barely be heard as he placed a hand on her soaking wet shoulder. He tried to understand what it all meant when his touch actually helped to calm her rage. Her glare didn't subside, though, until Kakashi began to explain.

"Take this scroll. It'll help you with finding your element much faster than what the jounin are teaching you. I know that you two don't like using your katanas, but at least come to me once so I don't have to lie. You know the Hokage's temper…"

At this statement, even Sakura agreed. She had unfortunately been subject to Tsunade's temper when she had been in constant training, and had barely made it out of those sessions alive. Still, Sakura couldn't help but feel a little irritated that she had to stand out in the freezing rain. With the scroll safely tucked in her kunai pouch, she turned to the silver-haired jounin, whose hair was now hanging down the sides of his face from all the water.

"Can we go now, sensei?"

Kakashi shrugged and smiled beneath his mask. Sakura thought about trying her teleportation jutsu, but she was already having a little bit of trouble with it. She definitely wouldn't be able to concentrate on where she was going with all this rain and mud around her. With a heavy sigh, Sakura sprinted for the academy, leaving Kakashi and Naruto to talk something else over.

After a quick shower, Sakura had once again forgotten to grab her pajamas. She was used to sleeping in her room, and wasn't used to living with anyone else, especially Naruto. She rummaged around in the drawer, trying to find her pajamas when she remembered they were under her pillow. She quickly snatched them up, suddenly frozen in place when she saw someone standing in front of her.

Naruto blinked.

Sakura gulped.

Blue eyes couldn't remove their gaze from her towel-clad body. Her skin was dry, but her hair was damp and slightly messy, as if she had just run an extra towel through it. The towel stopped a little above mid-thigh, and was tucked under itself just below her armpits.

Her skin was soft and creamy-looking. Her long legs were well developed; her calves and thighs were a bit larger than most of the kunoichi, but Naruto wouldn't have wanted her any other way. He realized that her chest was only a little larger than he had originally thought. It was smaller due to the bindings she probably wore.

Jade orbs clouded in confusion as she walked towards him, long fingers forming two hand signs before her hand touched the middle of his chest. His heart rate spiked. He felt the water being taken from his clothes and skin, leaving only his hair damp. She looked at him, eyebrows knitting together before she hurried into the bathroom to get dressed.

His heart hammered painfully against his ribcage, threatening to break through the bone that held it in place. His arms and legs felt useless, and his mind was swirling. What had it meant? She hadn't hit him, or gotten angry as he had taken in her beautiful body; she had come close to him to help keep him dry. He could still remember her scent—like cherries. Her hair was the smell of soft, nondescript flowers.

Naruto couldn't move. The images of her toweled form kept searing into the back of his eyes, but he was almost purposefully doing that. This was probably the only chance he'd get to see her like that, and he wanted to remember it.

Unfortunately, his pounding heart and breathless gasps brought one other thing to his mind. He wanted her more than anything, and not just because—in his eyes—she was the most beautiful kunoichi he'd ever seen. Just being _her_ made everything fit into his life like a perfectly molded puzzle. He honestly couldn't imagine what his life would be like if she hadn't been near him. Cutting himself off from emotions hadn't worked—not with her. Every now and then, he would catch himself staring before roughly pushing the emotions down again.

He admitted it. Removing friends from his life hadn't changed anything; it only made him want them more. He just hadn't been able to remove Sakura. Every glare or hard stare he had given her was only because he was trying to control his emotions at her closeness, and how much he wanted to revert back to his happy self.

Maybe he still could…

His eyes flicked to the closed door. Sakura was supporting her shaking body on the sink, hoping her quick gasps didn't reach Naruto's ears. What had she just done? She had felt so utterly vulnerable, and her first thought was to pound out Naruto's eyes for staring at her. But the look in his sapphire gaze had caused her pulse to race and her blood to boil. She had never seen that look on his face, and suddenly, she hadn't even been in control of her body! Her legs had moved of their own accord, wanting to be closer to him.

The wetness of his clothes and hair had once again struck a cord in her body. Before, she had been able to control it by being nonchalant. This time, she couldn't get past the fact of just how good Naruto had looked.

At least she hadn't tried anything she would have regretted. Well, kissing him wouldn't have been regrettable, but the embarrassment and awkwardness afterwards definitely would have been. She fretted about going back into the room, but if she wanted to sleep, then she would have to suck it up. She exited the bathroom in her normal pajamas. The pants were a slick material and clung to her legs; the shirt was a little baggy, but comfortable.

She saw Naruto's eyes quickly gain interest in his bed sheets. She knew he was being polite, and that he apparently was just as shocked as she was. She crawled into bed, completely forgetting to study. She turned away, missing the blush that rose to Naruto's cheeks as he remembered again.

"Sakura, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, Naruto," she whispered. "It's okay."

How confusing could one girl get? First, he was sure about the things she did. Now, they were in a new place, and everything was changing. His feelings were back—although he doubted they truly had left—and she was suddenly acting strange in the predicaments forced upon them.

His blue eyes flicked to her still form, the steady rhythm of her breathing signifying that she was asleep. How did one fall asleep so quickly? His breath silently hitched at how the moonlight was beginning to seep into the window, coating her skin with a milky glaze. He quickly turned out the lights, crawling into his own bed and settling after a few moments of tossing.

Naruto's gaze rested on Sakura. "Goodnight… Sakura-chan."

A wild, irrational smile parted Sakura's lips. He hadn't known she was still awake.

00000

Dark eyes watched the Academy, their owner wondering why he was actually doing this. All of his prospects were gone, and there were hardly any people that could challenge him. This was all he had left, and he didn't know if he really wanted it back. Watching would be good, though. One could gather a plethora of information just from watching.

The tree branch he sat on shielded some of the rain, but the small covering overhead kept him dry. Amegakure could really be an annoying village, especially with its nonstop rain. Besides, most of the shinobi were second rate.

Moonlight reflected for a moment before settling on a small patch of hair. He knew the base color was red, but the silvery light gave it a ghostly, washed-out appearance.

"I have news," she mumbled quietly, taking quick, furtive glances in the dark-haired man's direction. He tried not to pay attention.

"Uzumaki Naruto has a powerful technique. I cannot tell you what it does, but I know that it is deadly."

"Why did you take so long to tell me?"

"You know I can't be spotted!"

The man scoffed as he stood. His eyes peered into the sky. He would be getting wet soon, but it was only temporary. It was a problem easily fixed. "Report to me about anything else." With that, he disappeared into the rain, the covering vanishing and letting water soak the once-dry spot on the tree.

Flecks of red hair glinted in the moonlight. "Of course… Sasuke-kun."

* * *

**A/N:** Let me know what you guys think of it. I love reviews and they brighten up my day. Until my next chapter!

- wolf's paradise


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Ohayo, everybody! Wow, it's been a long two weeks! I'm excited about this chapter, because I think it gets the ball rolling a little bit (for once!). Anyway, here is the newest installment to _Lost in the Rain_. Thanks to all my reviewers:

Cecixx19: thanks for the review, and I'm glad you liked the chapter!

EarthBorn0: thanks for spotting those errors. And no, Naruto does not have sage mode in this story. I developed the idea before I knew about Naruto learning sage mode, and I don't think it'd fit in this story anyway. He'd be a bit too powerful, and I really don't want these guys to become mary-sues.

Quietly1Fragile: thank you very much!

MysNiWol: I'm glad you like the story so far. I've been working pretty hard on it.

PaulUzumaki: I'm glad you like the story, too!

And let's not forget my three amazing betas (Tori, believeit6, and arianawithlove). They are kind enough to go over my work for me and fix the little things that I've missed, so I think you guys!

Ne! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Five

* * *

A slim, red body slinked through the forest surrounding the academy. After a moment's sniffing, it rested on the grass. The fox let a large breath out of his nose. It really wasn't fun living by himself. His own home was much better; the food was plentiful and palatable—not to mention that his own home was far more comfortable than damp forest grass near the base of the tree.

His blood red tail twitched. Of course, he would have to stay here and watch. It would be _his_ duty. _He_ was the messenger, one of the fastest of his clan. While that did give him pride to be one of the clan's most useful occupants, he was also stuck with many of the tedious jobs.

If only that boy knew…

Still, the fox was proud. He hadn't expected one so young to be like that. Granted, the fox wasn't that old either.

Shivers coursed through his body. The rain-drenched ground was extremely uncomfortable, and he doubted that he'd be able to sleep. He desperately needed it, too. It had begun to rain the previous night, and he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. Looking for a dry cave seemed to be futile.

With a growl, the fox stood, hurrying through the forest towards the direction of an earthy and mineral based scent. A yip of happiness squeezed from his throat, and he curled into a ball in his newfound cave. He closed his red eyes, preparing to get a decent night's sleep. Though he had to admit, watching had been fun. That head of pink hair could definitely be a fireball, and from what he'd learned about the jinchuuriki, the boy was just as spirited. He looked a little different, however. There was definitely a quiet air about the boy now.

The fox sighed heavily, wondering when his mission would be over. Even though watching humans interact was entertaining, there was only so much that he could take. But he felt a connection to the strange blonde. The fox even liked the pink haired girl. She was strong, and very sensible.

Still, the fox wondered why the jinchuuriki wasn't the hyperactive boy he'd heard about. To be sure, it was better for a shinobi not rush into things, and yet the fox was sure that being a jinchuuriki had something to do with the boy's change of attitude.

Dark legs tucked in, testing the current warmth and wondering if this would be a better position. The fox licked his nose, determining that he would do the thinking tomorrow. Today had been a long day, and all he wanted was sleep. That wasn't too much to ask, was it? Besides, it was a mission. It didn't matter if he were the one assigned to the mission. Documents never said _how_ a mission should be taken care of.

The lack of sleep soon created a haze in his mind. He'd think about all of this later. His brain just wasn't working at the moment.

00000

Sakura was infuriated. It had been a month since Kakashi had given her the scroll to begin practicing her elemental chakra. During the first week, it had rained. She knew that rain was the reason for village's name, but it didn't lessen her anger. She hated being kept indoors, especially in an unknown village with nothing to do except study a stupid scroll. She practically had it memorized.

For the rest of the month, she didn't get anywhere. It had rained on and off, but she was furious that she couldn't get that little piece of wood wet.

Naruto put up with her venting. It was actually quite amusing to see. She would hit random objects, and sometimes him, but he could tell that it was just anger at her situation, not at him. Besides, her hand never hurt. She slapped him gently, on the leg or arm, and her fury would be bestowed upon the poor carpet or bed sheets. He'd had to call the maid for a new pair of sheets so Sakura would be able to sleep. Her tirade had stopped with a sheepish smile and an apology.

He wondered if he could go back to how he used to be. She obviously felt comfortable going back to her old self around him. Despite what he had tried to do, he felt himself allowing more of his old personality back. There were a few more smiles on his face, though they were small. And it was all because of Sakura. He knew his feelings for her and other people had never vanished. It had just taken a few words from Kakashi, and a few actions from Sakura to bring them back.

A low chuckled reverberated from his chest as he watched her. They hadn't been able to go outside for the past two days because of rain. She twirled around, and even squealed a little in delight. Her pink hair swirled around her face, and her eyes were closed in contentment. Once class was called, she couldn't stop fidgeting. He knew that she was itching to train, and he was too.

"All right, class," Hiroyuki began. "Today you may be paired with whomever you would like. I'm not going to be picky today, but just don't kill each other. Training your other elements will not be tolerated. This is a water element class. Begin!"

Sakura immediately pulled out the small piece of wood. It was completely dry, and her goal was to get it wet. It had taken Naruto almost two weeks to learn the Rasenshuriken; how long would it take her to develop her elemental chakra? Naruto had used a hundred shadow clones; she didn't have the massive amounts of chakra that Naruto possessed. She did know the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, though. She had taught herself when on break from Tsunade's training.

Still, five shadow clones were the maximum she could create if she wanted enough chakra to help heal. It took a major toll on her chakra reserves, and hers were limited. However, she could conjure more chakra than most shinobi because of her excellent chakra control.

The wood flipped in her hands for a moment before she set her concentration to it. Kakashi's scroll had helped a little, but nothing worked as well as trial and error. She placed both hands over the wood, concentrating on her chakra becoming water. She needed to wet this piece of wood, and fast. She wanted to catch up, and become stronger along with Naruto. And she was already a month behind.

Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She had gotten that one corner in class; why couldn't she get it now? A grunt escaped her lips as she strained to shove her chakra into the wood.

An hour of frustration passed. She was smart! She should be able to figure this out! It wasn't like Tsunade's training when she had been forced to learn how to dodge, and dodge quickly.

Learning to heal hadn't really taken so long to learn, either. It had been hard and intricate work, but she was able to concentrate on that. It was very refined, like threading. That was how she healed many of the difficult injuries. She had to imagine her chakra like a tiny needle, threading the skin or muscle tissue together and encouraging the cells to regenerate faster than normal.

Two arms snaked around her waist, and she was suddenly up against something warm. She turned her head, only for her to be face to face with Naruto. Since he was slightly taller, her mouth was almost up against his cheek. She quickly looked at the ground, fighting the redness that colored her cheeks. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest.

"Here, Sakura," he said quietly, his voice shaking slightly. Each of his hands held one of hers, and he placed the piece of wood in her left hand. In her right, he placed a leaf.

Thankfully, the confusion at having a leaf in her hand won over the knowledge of Naruto's proximity. "Eh? Why'd you put a leaf in my hand?"

"It might help." He flicked his eyes over to her, and a sheepish smile parted his lips. "Can I help?"

She could only nod. His blue eyes blazed into hers, and for a moment, her mind was paralyzed. She looked down quickly, and Naruto stepped a little closer, his chest pressing against her back. Her heart pounded as his face was just inches away from her.

He was too close. Way too close.

She focused her attention on Naruto's words, trying to calm the excitement in the pit of her stomach. Naruto hadn't purposefully gotten this close to her since three years ago.

Naruto's voice wasn't very loud, but she paid attention to the tones of his voice and the way he described it.

"When I had to learn another element besides wind, I almost imagined it like a ladder. Since wind is my primary element, I have to dig deeper, or go down further to find water."

"But, what about the leaf?" Sakura failed to notice the quick intake of breath on Naruto's part as he quickly concentrated on the leaf.

"Well, it was something that Iruka-sensei taught us when we were still in the Academy. It helped me in learning the Rasengan, too. Basically, focus your chakra on the leaf. It's in the middle of your palm, so just imagine the liquid coming out of your hand, not necessarily turning it to water. Got it?"

Sakura nodded, licking her lips and placing the wood in her right hand. Naruto stayed against her, and though she felt him, the thought was far from her mind at the moment. She imagined her chakra as water, just as Naruto had suggested. The center of her palm was the focus, and she could feel the swirling chakra. It was similar to when she healed someone, or when she gathered her chakra for a super punch.

A small slosh of water burst from her hand, soaking a fourth of the wood. Sakura squealed in delight and turned, giving Naruto a bone-crushing hug. His eyes widened, his body taken aback by her sudden action. He wasn't too sure how to respond, and his hand slowly patted her back.

"Uh, sure. No problem."

The pink haired kunoichi quickly released him, her eyes bright with new determination. She hoped Naruto wasn't embarrassed by her sudden action, and it seemed as though he hadn't minded. She pressed her focus into the wood, envisioning her chakra as a whirl of water. After half an hour, almost half of the wood was wet.

Sakura smiled at Naruto. "Thanks for the help, Naruto!"

"Don't worry about it, Sakura."

"Hey, you! Sakura, right?" A bouncing head of pale hair sidled up to Sakura. The girl was at least two inches shorter than Sakura. Sakura frowned. Hadn't she seen this girl earlier, with Naruto? Akane had been making the pairings; she had often gotten paired with Naito, and Naruto got stuck with this girl.

"Hai," Sakura mumbled carefully.

The girl grabbed Sakura's hand. "Come on over here! I want to talk to you!"

"Um. Okay." Sakura glanced back, noticing the question in Naruto's eyes. Only she would be able to see it. "Go on ahead of me. I'll catch up soon."

Naruto nodded, and as soon as he moved off, the girl dragged Sakura around the corner near the staircase. Three other girls were waiting. Two had brown hair, and one had shiny black hair. The girl with black hair had black eyes, while the girls with brown hair had bright hazel eyes. The brown haired girls were no doubt sisters.

The ghost haired girl spoke first. "I'm Kotone. This is Mekato. The twins are Yumi and Yutsi." A hand shot out so fast that Sakura barely had time to register its coming. She gasped in surprise as she felt an angry red handprint tinge her cheek.

"What was that for?" she almost yelled.

"Uzumaki Naruto is ours! Stay away from him!"

Sakura groaned and smacked the heel of her hand to her forehead. Had she sounded this stupid when she was twelve? And these girls were seventeen. She must have been terribly annoying. Was that what this whole thing was about? Sakura had to admit that it was pretty pathetic, which was the only reason that kept her from pummeling Kotone through the wall she was leaning against.

Besides, the mission took precedence over a petty crush. "But you don't have to slap me."

Kotone growled. "I know you like him! I saw you hug him!"

"Will you shut up?!" Sakura shouted. What, did Amegakure have a severe shortage of boys or common sense for these girls to end up being _this_ bad? "This has nothing to do with that! He's my teammate, and has been for six years!" Sakura whirled, moving towards the classroom when Kotone's words stopped her.

"Well, you're sleeping in his room. Kunoichi don't do that unless they have good reason to, or unless they want something."

Sakura's eyebrows twitched. "Hmm, you would know, wouldn't you?" Kotone's face reddened. Sakura smiled. "My reason? It was the only available room. Ask Akane-sensei. She gave us the room."

All four girls' mouths dropped as Sakura moved away. Her smile faded as she walked into her next class, her hand unconsciously moving to touch her tender cheek. She winced when it stung. Kotone didn't slap nearly as hard as Sakura did, and the pink haired kunoichi knew it. Her strength was only a little less than Tsunade's, and getting punched or slapped by Tsunade's fists was near torture.

"What's wrong?"

The simple question caught Sakura off guard. It wasn't normal for Naruto to ask her questions like that. Her hand left her cheek as she sat on Naruto's right. He turned to her, his hand touching the angry flesh of her cheek. Green eyes widened as her pulse spiked, but the hand didn't leave her skin.

"Did she hit you?"

Sakura laughed a little, plastering a smile on her face. "It's nothing." She quickly placed her hand over Naruto's before he could remove it, and her chakra flowed through his hand and to her skin. In a moment, the sting was gone. Sakura suddenly gazed at troubled blue eyes, a look on his face that she couldn't describe. The closest she could come to describing it was… pain.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reiterating the question he had asked first. It worried her to see this strange look in Naruto's normally calm ocean eyes.

He quickly looked away, hiding his face in his bangs and removing his hand from beneath hers. His hands balled into fists, the spot in his chest aching with familiar pain.

_Surprised?_

_Not to hear you,_ Naruto spat.

_You know what I'm talking about, Twerp. I know what pains you have gone through. Why is her action hurting you?_

_Don't you know? You should know out of everyone, you damn fox._

Kyuubi growled harshly. _Do not take me lightly, boy! With you in your state, you know I could take over you with some tweaking! I will not be spoken to that way!_

_Fine, then. She touched me willingly,_ Naruto replied acidly.

Kyuubi paused for a moment. _Ah…. Human contact. I see. You are not used to it._ It was a statement Naruto knew all too well.

_Why did she touch me? Why _has_ she been touching me? I disgust everyone in the village! I've scared her plenty of times, as well! No one touches me. Not the others of my generation, or Kakashi. Occasionally, Tsunade will touch me, or Iruka, or even Jiraiya when he had been alive. But no one else touches me._

_She has when she's healed you,_ Kyuubi objected.

_That's different! She's part of my team, and it's part of her job as a medic._

_Whatever you say, kid._

_Hey, Kyuubi…_ But the fox was gone. Naruto had meant to ask the fox what he had meant earlier, but apparently, the demon was out for the time being. Naruto hated that damn fox's ability to appear and disappear of his own will.

Suddenly, a woman burst into the room just as Seiichi was beginning his history lesson. Everyone's eyes turned on the middle-aged woman. She was breathless, and her short, black hair was plastered to her sweaty face. Her eyes roved around the room, quickly taking in the chuunin. Two men rushed into the room, calling to the woman and trying to hold her back.

"Please!" she begged furiously. Her voice held a tone of desperation and panic as she looked around the room. "Please help my son! I heard that the apprentice of Tsunade-sama the Sannin had come to Amegakure! She must be here!"

"Miss," one of the men admonished, "we must get your son to the hospital! He's dying!"

"I know that!" she screamed. "But the doctors haven't been able to do anything about it! Now there's something else wrong with him, and I know they won't be able to figure it out! I know that the Hokage's apprentice is here!"

Sakura hurriedly stood from her seat, making her way over to the woman and kneeling before her. "I am Tsunade-shishou's apprentice. Where is your son?"

The rest of the class was surprised at Sakura's confession. They had known about the Hokage's apprentice, but they hadn't known it was Sakura. The kunoichi tuned them out as the boy was brought into the room. He looked to be no older than eight. Sakura gasped at his condition. His skin was pale and almost green-looking. His breathing was shallow, and his face was puffy.

Poison. That was one explanation for these particular side effects. Sakura's hands touched over the boy's body, and she gasped in shock. She turned to the class. "Get these tables in a line! I need a place to set him so I can work! Someone get me three bowls of cold water. I'll need a few towels as well!"

She turned to the two men beside the woman. "Get me two of your best doctors _now!_" The men hurried out the door, running towards the hospital as fast as they could.

Sakura's hands flew as she quickly withdrew a scroll from her back pouch. Since she had only been training in class, she had decided to keep her medical supplies in a storage scroll in case of emergencies. She couldn't be more thankful that she had done that than now.

A page flipped out, and a puff of smoke revealed bandages and a few other random items she would need. Her head whipped around, surprised no one had been moving. In the hospital, she was used to giving orders, and those orders were always followed.

Naruto stood and placed his hands in the familiar cross sign. Twelve shadow clones appeared, and Naruto barked out instructions to each of them. Three went to get bowls of water, while the other nine handled the desks. Naruto created another one to grab towels from any of the rooms that were open.

Within a minute, a small table of desks was set and three bowls of cold water sat off to the side. While the rest of the shadow clones puffed away, one stayed to help the real Naruto carry the sick boy. Sakura immediately turned to Naruto once the boy was comfortably situated.

"Do you remember Kankuro, when I had to get the poison out of his system?"

Naruto nodded, and the others stared at Sakura dumbfounded.

One student, obviously one from Suna, blurted, "_You_ were the one that healed Kazekage-sama's brother?"

Sakura ignored the outburst. "This is the same thing. His poison is herbal, though. Kankuro's was metallic. Naruto, I'll need you to get me an empty bowl. Can you do that?" Almost as soon as she asked, a bowl was in his hands. She smiled.

"Seiichi-sensei! Please get a few other students to help me! I'll need five people to hold him down while I extract this poison!"

"Naito, Kotone…"

Those were the only names Sakura caught as Seiichi called three other students. Sakura ghosted her palms over the boy's body, pinpointing the sections of poison. She pointed five pairs of hands to the arms, legs, and shoulders. Sakura bit her lip, knowing this poison was specifically dangerous.

"Hold him tight," she whispered grimly. "This poison likes to coagulate in the warmer, hard-working areas of the muscles. It's going to hurt." The medic nin knew that the mother was watching, and probably wouldn't want to leave. Even though Sakura wanted the mother to leave, she had no time to spare. Time was imperative with a poison such as this.

A small bubble of water gathered underneath her hand. She watched the boy's shallow, difficult breathing before biting her lip and gently pushing the water into the right plane of the boy's chest. A strangled cry constricted his throat, and Sakura clenched her teeth, searching for the poison. It was further down in the muscle than she had expected. Her chakra sifted through the water and around the poison, coaxing it from the muscle.

The boy writhed underneath her hands, the water threatening to break as the five ninja struggled to keep him down. Sakura's eyebrows pinched together, her mind furiously concentrating on keeping the poison in the bubble. Quickly, she released the water into the bowl. Viscous poison slicked to the bottom.

Another bubble formed in her hand, and she bit back tears at the boy's obvious pain and struggling. Kotone was crying; Naito had a grim expression on his face; and the others looked like they were going to pass out. Naruto seemed to be the only one doing it right, but when it came down to this boy's life, she couldn't be picky. She hadn't had to do this kind of poison extraction in a year. She had always been Naruto's medic on the battlefield, and a regular doctor at the hospital. Most of the time, Naruto never got caught with poison, and Sakura rarely treated the ANBU that dealt with poison.

Once the boy's chest muscles were free from poison, Sakura moved down to his abdomen. The muscles around his belly button were the warmest, and contained the most amount of poison. It took her a full five minutes before almost all of the poison was extracted. She made a quick list of the poison's ingredients on one of her scrolls before sealing it away. The boy's skin was still pale, but it was definitely less green.

But she still had more work to do. She was far from done. Something horrible had happened to this boy, and she had to know what.

"What happened to him? There is no way he can get this injured from an ordinary day of playing with friends."

The woman's worry melted to shame at Sakura's glare. "Please. It is a personal matter. I… I will be glad to tell you, but please don't ask me now."

Sakura nodded, satisfied with at least a promise. When the two men rushed in with two medic nins, Sakura turned to the five chuunin. "Thank you for you help, but I don't need you anymore."

All but Naruto walked away, eager to step back from the sick, heavily breathing boy. His pain had done something to all of their psyches. Sakura glanced at the two male medic nins, ushering them over. She proceeded to allow the medics to scan their hands over the boy's body while she explained.

"He has severe bruising to a few of his internal organs, namely his spleen, liver, stomach, and kidneys. His heart is pumping twice as hard as it should because of the swelling of his organs and bones. This cut here—" she pointed to a sick, green and purple gash on the boy's side— "is where the poison entered his body. His left arm is severely damaged. The humerus is broken in two places, his lower arm is fractured slightly, and two of his fingers are broken."

The medic nin stopped to take a quick breath, and continued. "His right kidney seems to have taken the most damage, along with his liver. His right femur is fractured, as are a few bones in his feet. However, there are some problems with them. These fractures are new breaks that have been added to a constant array of damage. His feet are spread in a slightly… _purposeful_ way. From the way his bones have broken and been repaired, I believe that some form of torture was used on him, most likely a hard hose or narrow pipe that spread the bones of the feet.

"His neck muscles and tendons are strained from most likely a hanging attempt. But due to the flexible bone in his neck, it has just been severely bruised. However, I am most concerned about the small fissure in his skull. All of the bones haven't fused together, yet."

Sakura smirked inwardly at the medic nins staring at her with shock, but she shook it away. Her pride could wait. This boy's life was in danger. "I am also concerned about the hole in his lungs. It doesn't seem to be a hereditary disorder, but I can tell that the hole has caused the dysfunction of the deeper parts of the lungs so that he can't breathe well."

"What are we supposed to do?" one of the medics asked.

The pink haired kunoichi looked at both grimly. "I need you to work with my chakra so that I can heal most of his injures. He needs at least extensive surgery on quite a few of his bones, and that will take time. We've got to get him out of the near-death state for now."

The two medics glanced at each other nervously, and Sakura's eyebrows slammed together, her temper spiking at the doctors' distrust of her. _"Listen,"_ she seethed, the low, enraged tone of Sakura's voice causing them to jump. Their eyes widened at the irritation clearly written across her face.

"I don't care if you two don't trust me. But I'll be damned if I let this boy die when I could have saved him. Now will you help me _or not?_" Despite the question, the timbre of her voice left no room for argument or question. The doctors nodded, flicking through seals that Sakura quickly followed. A small, translucent triangle formed around the boy, and the two medic nins placed their hands together. Sakura's hands glowed a calm but powerful shade of green, and her hands caressed the boy's stomach.

She concentrated on every aspect of the healing. She took care of the kidneys first. There was blood present in the fluid. Her heart pounded in her chest at the severity of the boy's wounds. Who would do this to someone so small? It was just plain cruel!

The healing went slowly, Sakura's chakra working like a needle as it threaded through the small tears in the organs. She removed the harmful waste to where it should be. His kidney, liver, and spleen were almost completely healed, while she left the stomach partially healed. The organs would still be sore, but at least they would be able to perform most of their functions somewhat well. There was nothing she could do about his fast heart rate, so she moved to the small bruise on his neck. Within a few minutes it was back to normal. She moved to his left arm, encouraging the cells in the humerus to regenerate faster. Once the bone had attached itself back together relatively well, Sakura performed the same thing on the small fractures in the lower part of his arm and the two breaks in his fingers.

The boy's thighbone would be the most difficult to mend. The femur was the strongest bone in the body, dealing with a thousand pounds of weight each day. The process of mending most of the bone was much slower, and it would have been much longer had not the two medic nins aided Sakura. The boy's mother was sitting in a desk, wringing her hands together as Sakura finally reached the boy's head.

There seemed to be no damage to his brain, but she would only know that after he woke up. She was beginning to run low on chakra, and the Ame medic nins were already at their limit. Sakura waved them off, much like Tsunade did when the medic nins were of no further use.

"I'll take it from here," Sakura mumbled as she forced her chakra out.

Naruto watched her, knowing full well that she had already used up most of her chakra. Still, she never failed to amaze him about how well she performed her job. He know Sakura; he knew it hurt her every time she had to heal a patient—especially a child. But she was professional about it, and didn't waste a moment's time to figure the prognosis. Her knowledge was even beginning to surpass Tsunade, though Naruto knew that it wasn't very surprising. Sakura was—after all—the smartest kunoichi of the Rookie Nine.

Slender shoulders were shaking; arms were slightly limp; pink hair was plastered to her sweaty neck and cheeks. Naruto knew she was past her limit. He hadn't seen her go all-out for a while, but he had quickly learned the signs. And she was showing them. He placed his hand on her shoulder. Her shaking stopped, and her back became rigid.

"Sakura," he whispered. "You really should—"

"I'm fine," she protested breathlessly, her voice cracking on the last syllable. Her breathing was becoming labored; healing a small fissure in the skull was even more intricate work, especially if the patient's bones hadn't fused yet.

Once seated, Naruto's eyes flicked over to the awestruck medic ninjas. He could tell they were thoroughly surprised and impressed that she had managed to make it this far. She was only supposed to be a chuunin after all. That was why Naruto knew Tsunade was making Sakura wait to become a jounin. Naruto knew that she had the exceptional talent, as did Tsunade, but Kyuubi kept them from officially advancing to the next level.

A small sigh of relief caught Naruto's attention. He was the only one to seem to have heard it. However, Sakura's body suddenly fell limp, her knees failing to lock as they gave way beneath her weight. Naruto hurriedly stood from his seat, his hands outstretched as they caught Sakura's falling body. She landed against him with a small grunt, her eyes closing momentarily before opening again.

Her hands grabbed Naruto's legs for support as she pushed herself to her feet. She had a small moment of weakness, but she wouldn't show it again. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead, smiling gratefully at the fact that the boy was going to be all right and that she had managed to stand.

Sparkling green eyes met worried black ones. "Your son will be all right. He will need to be hospitalized for at least a week, and I'll need to check on him tomorrow. He needs to have daily check-ups scheduled as well."

The middle-aged woman rushed forward, enveloping Sakura in a hug. It was almost the end of Sakura. Her body was already weak, and any form of support was welcome so it didn't have to support itself. Sakura gently patted the woman's back. Once the woman pulled away, Sakura looked into the woman's eyes, telling her that she had some explaining to do. Since Naruto was part of the mission as well, and any new information given would be beneficial. Sakura was tired; she really did _not_ want to have to repeat herself.

The three exited the room, Sakura taking one last glance at the boy. He was sleeping soundly.

The mother wrung her hands together, obviously nervous. "I didn't do it to him!" she suddenly blurted. Tears sprung from her onyx eyes and she fell to the floor, her shoulders wracking with sobs. Sakura bent down, slowly pulling the woman's hands off of her face so Sakura could look at the woman.

"What then? Who did do this to your son?"

The woman sniffled, her eyes pleading to Naruto and Sakura. "I… I'm not sure. It's an organization, or a team of some sorts. They've held my son away form me for the past few months, swearing that if I don't abide by their wishes, they'll harm my son."

Fresh tears streamed down the mother's cheeks. "I know my son. He would rather die himself than hand those helpers over to that despicable place. So, I refused. I told them that I wouldn't help, and every time I said no, they would beat my son. Finally, they tried to hang him. I was forced to watch that. When they had left me to my mourning, I stole my son back, knowing that he wasn't quite dead."

Sakura nodded. "The throat bone in children is flexible. Unless acid from the stomach eats at the esophagus, the child won't die very quickly."

"Yes," the woman whispered. "I know a little bit about medicine myself, but not enough for them to want me."

"Want you?" Naruto questioned.

The lady nodded. "This organization hunts medical ninjas. All I know is that they torture the medics and suck away at their chakra to produce some kind of liquid. They have tried to make me turn in a few of the good medics at our hospital, but I refuse. Our village is low on good medical knowledge at the moment, and I would… I _can't_ sacrifice innocent people in this village just because of my son!"

Sakura was surprised. It was unlike a mother to give up her child for the benefit of even an entire village.

The woman seemed to pick up on Sakura's thoughts. "My son wouldn't let me do it. He begged and pleaded with me that I couldn't let any innocent people be kidnapped, especially ones that helped the village so much. I promised my son, and I know that I must honor his promise if I love him."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed slightly. So this "organization" was after medical ninjas? His blue eyes flicked worriedly over Sakura's weary form. Right now, she was extremely vulnerable. He knew she was strong in battle when forced to fight. Actually, Naruto usually _couldn't_ keep her out of a battle. She was fond of action and adventure, not to mention the fact that she liked to test out her super strength on something that she wouldn't have to worry about killing.

Suddenly, Naruto felt strangely protective of the small kunoichi in front of him. She needed his protection, especially if there was a large and dangerous organization out to get her. At least it didn't seem like Akatsuki. There was no hope for the jinchuuriki when their bijuu was extracted, but maybe this group didn't kill the medics. However, Naruto doubted that many of the medics were left alive.

"What was the name of the organization? Do you remember?" Naruto asked. Names of things could usually give one a clue about their intentions or basic idea, or even to tell what the leader usually liked. Naruto could think of one example, and it came in the strange form of Sasuke and his long-split up Team Hebi. Sasuke was leader, and he was the one with the use of snakes at his will.

"Um… I don't remember exactly…"

"Try," Sakura urged, her hand gently resting on the woman's shoulder.

The black-haired woman nodded, concentrating, her mouth slowly forming the word as it came to mind. "Takai…" she whispered. "They were named Takai…"

Both chuunin gasped. Startled green orbs met troubled blue ones. There was no need to ask any further questions about the organization's purpose. Their name said it all, a banner for all to see as Akatsuki had been.

Sakura sucked in a breath, the realization suddenly hitting her. She was a medic ninja. This organization was after shinobi like her. Her eyes refocused on Naruto's, and she knew he was thinking along the same lines.

Takai meant death.

* * *

**A/N:** So, what'd you think? Sorry about "Takia". I looked it up and thought it meant death but as one reviewer pointed out a while ago, that's not so. Eh, it'll just stay that way. I reference it too many times to fix it lol.

- wolf's paradise


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Oh, wow. So here's the sixth installment of _Lost in the Rain_. I must say that I really like this chapter. More of the plot is introduced, and I like the Sakura-Naruto interaction that happens in this chapter. Still, it's a whopping 19 pages, something that has never been accomplished until now! And I think my chapters are getting even longer… oh dear…

Well, here's my shout-out to all my reviewers:

Cecixx19: I'm very glad you liked the chapter! It was one of my favorites, too, and I'm happy you're excited for what's next!

Ferity-88: You're going to find out more about the fox, don't worry! As for Sasuke, I really don't hate the guy, despite the roles he's played in my other stories. I really can't say anything other than you have nothing to worry about! I am taking very good care to interpret Sasuke's character.

xAZNxRiceBoy: Thanks for the compliment about the story, and again, thanks for the little thing about the hyoid bone. I couln't for the life of me remember what it was, and you helped! Thanks again.

Mingling: Well, I appreciate the compliment that you think my story could use more reviews. That was very nice, and I will say that it made my day. And I'm glad you understand about why Naruto is the way he is! (I'm explaining more in another shout-out.)

Third Perspective: I'm glad that you find it interesting! I was honestly not sure if I should make this story 'M' rated, but I was thinking about some of the fighting and other things later on in the story, and decided to rate it that way just in case. And thanks for the review comment! That made my next day!

Amanda: Since you don't have a page, I'm gonna reply right here. First, I thought that this could actually be a road that Naruto decided to take. He didn't in the manga or anime, but this is just a story. Besides, I think I mentioned before that Naruto never really did give up on his friends. He was simply afraid of being hurt, and possibly hurting them. Especially since he accidentally hurt Sakura. And tons of people have died around him. He hasn't given up, per say, but he's just distanced himself from people. I hope that explains why he's this way in my story!

AwesomeEyes: Thanks! I'm glad you like the story, and thanks for the compliment, too!

Wow, this is a long review shout-out. One page long. Hmm, I might have to start review replying to everyone so that people can just get to my story… Enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Six

* * *

Naruto watched as the small boy giggled at Sakura's prying hands. He looked much better now, especially since Sakura had been giving him daily treatments for his wounds. She had been particularly exhausted this week; she had even fallen asleep during class, which was something Sakura never did. Naruto had kept a sharp eye out for her, never letting her out of his sight. The knowledge that a new organization was after her left an uneasy feeling brewing in his gut, and the only way it was relieved was if his eyes were watching her.

He didn't mind watching her, though. Her movements were graceful at their best, but clumsy when she was extremely tired. She had definitely been clumsy since she had offered to help at the hospital. Most of the time after class, she was busy taking care of a few mystery cases at the hospital and making sure that the little boy got the daily half hour of light treatment. Except for the major surgeries, Naruto was always there.

Somehow, the thought of having nine S-class ninjas after a demon in his stomach was not nearly as unsettling as the thought of an organization after Sakura. He knew he could handle himself, and, should the need have risen, he had been prepared to end his life when faced with the Akatsuki. But the thought of Sakura's cold, dead body sent shivers through his spine.

"There you go, Masuyo," Sakura said pleasantly, and Naruto's eyes rested on the bandage that she was wrapping around the boy's torso. Masuyo giggled again as Sakura's hands hit a ticklish spot, while a black haired woman slowly entered the hospital room. Her eyes shone with relief every time she looked at the eight-year-old boy. Takai hadn't bothered her since she had recovered her son; they thought he was dead.

"Kaa-san!" Masuyo laughed. He turned to Sakura, wrapping his little arms around her thighs. "Thank you, Sakura-nee-chan!"

Naruto didn't want to admit it, but the little boy was starting to grow on him. Masuyo acted very much like Naruto had when he was young. It further proved that one could recover from such horrible ordeals.

The woman laughed as her son raced through the hospital for a small increment of playtime on the playground outside of the hospital. His messy black hair and laughing black eyes always brought a smile to her face. "You know, Sakura, he absolutely adores you."

"Really, Takara-san?" Sakura asked, her eyes widening.

Takara nodded. "He tells me every day that you were the one that saved him." The woman's head lowered and a chuckle slipped from her lips. "Every day, he tells me that you're the prettiest girl he's ever seen. He says he'll marry you one day." Takara laughed again.

"M-Marry me?" Sakura stuttered.

"I know! It sounds ridiculous, but I just can't tell the poor boy no. Besides, I think he's already starting to like someone else. I think he looks up to you, and sees your personality as one that he likes." Takara's calm, black eyes rested out of the window and on the playground, watching Masuyo hurry to claim a swing.

Sakura laughed as well. "He is adorable," she whispered. She glanced at Naruto, and when her eyes met his, he quickly looked away. He hated the fact that she caught him looking, but it couldn't be helped. He remembered a time when he had said the exact same thing to the exact same kunoichi. He knew that she hadn't heard his whispered promise, but it still rang in his chest.

A sigh escaped Sakura's lips. "Do you want to get something to eat, Naruto? I'm starving."

He shrugged and then nodded, and after giving Takara a quick hug, Sakura hurried out of the door to catch up to the blonde. "So, where do you want to go, Naruto?"

"We could get some dango," he suggested. "Or onigiri…"

"Hmm, I think we should have… onigiri. How does that sound?"

"Sounds fine."

Her lips parted in a smile as she walked next to him towards one of the casual eat-ins. Though she had sworn to Naruto over and over again that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, he still refused to let her out of his sight. She was touched by his hidden worry, and she really didn't mind his company at all. It was getting easier to talk and act normal again, which was a welcome relief.

Naruto's eyes passed from face to face, lingering on the male villagers' expressions. Ever since Sakura had shown her medical expertise by curing the dying boy, the males suddenly seemed to notice her. Ninjas and regular civilians alike stole glances at her as she passed, and her exotic pink hair seemed to make her stand out more. The classroom was no different; the chuunin always tried to find some way or another to either sit next to her or say something to her.

Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice. He knew that she definitely wasn't dense enough to miss it, but she simply choose to ignore them. She wasn't one to flaunt.

Sakura sighed, her eyebrows twitching with the same relative thoughts. She knew that this was the kind of attention that Ino usually thrived on, but Sakura didn't like it. She was apprehensive as she glanced subtly at the men around her. A few simply looked away as she passed; some got a wistful look in their eyes; and a few others glowed with a strange glint as they freely roved her clothed body without shame. She felt her insecurity channel her anger.

She was appreciative for Naruto's presence beside her. She certainly felt much better at having him near her. He strangely calmed her unease, but her anger spiked when she sensed the footsteps of a larger, civilian man. He was over three hundred pounds heavier than she was, but Sakura had faith in her fists.

"Hey, baby," the man drawled.

Sakura stuck her nose in the air and kept her feet moving.

"Don't be like that! Come on, baby! I got some money…" He trailed off, and the kunoichi could almost _hear_ him raise his eyebrows suggestively. He took her faltered steps as a green light, and chuckled as he neared her.

Naruto's head was swirling in anger at this man's audacity. Sakura was _not_ to be taken lightly, nor did he like the way that the man spoke to her. He couldn't explain the feeling of indignation at keeping her honor, of protecting her from this man that threatened to defile her. His chakra spiked at the same moment he felt Sakura's bristle with anger.

She twirled and her fist struck the man faster than Naruto thought possible. Her teeth were clenched as she rushed over to the offender, easily raising the overweight man into a sitting position as her hand fisted on the material near his chest. A low growl purred from her throat.

"Don't _ever_ talk to me like that again if you want to live." The tone behind her words enforced the threat, and the man trembled underneath her hand.

"Now get out of here," she spat. However, she didn't release him like he thought she would. She heaved chakra to her arm and tossed him carelessly across the village streets. However, her show of strength only made the rest of the men eye her more, their want ridiculously visible in their eyes.

Her eyes closed in frustration. _That plan backfired_, she though ruefully.

_Nice hit, though. He had to be at least three times our weight, and we threw him with relative ease,_ her inner smirked. Sakura had to agree. Not even Ino could match her strength, and Sakura was getting even stronger. Once, she had even managed to hit as hard as Tsunade. Sakura had to admit that her pride was in her strength and uncanny medical knowledge.

"Sakura? Are you okay?"

"Eh?" Sakura looked at Naruto, the concern in his eyes puzzling her. He had been worried about her? She couldn't deny that she was slightly flattered, but before she could answer, an obnoxious voice called out to her.

"Sakura-chan!"

God, it reminded her too much of a very immature Naruto. It wasn't that she hadn't liked Naruto's happy and excited character while he was younger; he had just been _too_ enthusiastic, or would let his emotions lead him all the time instead of his head. And now she had a ten-year-old Naruto stalking her in the form of a seventeen-year-old boy named Naito.

"Oi, oi! Can I join you two for lunch?" he queried, his eyes shining in anticipation.

_Ugh,_ Sakura groaned. She sighed heavily. "Why not?"

Naito flashed her a huge smile, but she wasn't paying attention. Sakura stared at the ground, aware that there was something wrong with Naruto. She could feel the tension thickening the air around them, but she decided to stay quiet. Things would probably just get worse if she opened her mouth.

The three stepped into Onigiri Genki, the most popular restaurant to get onigiri and dango, and even ramen. A relatively attractive waitress handed them a menu once they were seated. Sakura's eyes quickly appraised the girl, and she looked to be about eighteen. She started to openly flirt with Naruto, and Sakura felt that strange jealousy sift through her blood. She quickly turned away, surprised by the intensity of her emotions. Naruto's eyebrows rose as he glanced at her, completely ignoring the waitress now.

A slightly smug feeling washed over Sakura's body, and Naruto chuckled. The waitress frowned and left to get their drinks. Sakura's eyes quietly flicked over to Naruto's; what was he laughing at?

"What's so funny?"

Naruto shook his head slightly. "You're smug."

Sakura's eyes widened. "I…! I'm not…! I didn't…" she sputtered, but she couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Blue eyes looked at Sakura, the laughter and playfulness clearly shining through. He was smiling, and Sakura pushed past her initial surprise at how he knew what she had felt. She huffed, but smiled back at him. When he started to laugh, she did too. It really was quite funny, even if she was the one he was laughing at.

She punched him lightly on the shoulder as she laughed, "Idiot." Naruto laughed harder. She hadn't called him that in a long time, and he had to admit that he missed the term. She didn't mean it in a bad way. He could tell from the way that she was laughing that she was happy.

Naruto's sudden happiness was addicting. Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that kept her laughing, but she didn't want it to end. She hadn't had this kind of interaction with Naruto for a long time, and it was a welcome relief from how serious he had been this past week.

"Ne, Naruto," she said as their laughter died down. Shining blue orbs captured amused green ones. "Remember when we worked together against Kakashi-sensei, and we got the bells by threatening to spill the ending to Icha Icha Tactics?"

Humor glinted in Naruto's eyes. "Yeah. I still remember his face when you punched the ground. He was shocked at your superhuman strength, and I was, too. I thought Tsunade-baa-chan was the only one with crazy strength."

"So you think my strength's superhuman?" Sakura said slyly, a playful twinge tickling her voice.

The shocked look on his face was priceless, but he still stammered, "Yes…"

"So then I have 'superpowers', right?"

Naruto smiled again. "Hai. You're one of the strongest people I've ever known, Sakura-chan."

Though there was amusement in his voice, Sakura could tell that he was being completely serious. And though she was also surprised at his sudden use of the suffix, she didn't mention it. She blushed at his compliment, but was happy that he had sounded so serious, and that he actually thought her insane strength was a good thing. So many people thought she was a freak—Ino included.

"I second that!" Naito's loud voice suddenly cut in, ruining the moment. "You knocked me out on the first punch!"

The waitress came back, placing the drinks on the table. Sakura downed half of the glass before she stood hurriedly. "I'm going to train," she mumbled, and disappeared out of the restaurant.

Naruto turned to Naito. "You just had to speak up—didn't you, idiot?"

"Of course," Naito said seriously. "I didn't know what you guys had been laughing about before, and then I suddenly understood the conversation. So I decided to say that I though Sakura-chan was strong, too." Naito's black eyes were suddenly confused. "And since when do you talk? I've only ever seen you talk to Sakura and Hiroyuki-sensei. When you do talk to my sensei, it's really rare. Are you an anti-social bastard or something?"

A low growl rippled softly through Naruto's throat. "I'm not like him," he whispered, surprised those words had escaped his lips. He tried to tell himself over and over that he wasn't. _I'm not like him! I do care about people! I don't brag or boast about all my accomplishments or say that I'm going to avenge my clan. I do care! I do…_

Naito shrugged at the concentrated look on Naruto's face. "Eh, I'm going to go find Sakura-chan."

_Stay away from her!_

Naruto almost jumped out of his seat. _Kyuubi?!_

The demon growled. _Tell him to stay away! I don't want him near her!_

_Kyuubi… Explain._

_Explanations are useless right now, Twerp! Tell him to stay away! I don't want—_ The demon's sentence abruptly stopped.

_Kyuubi?_ Normally, Naruto was never worried when the demon cut off, but this was different. Naruto was extremely confused as to why the demon was reacting this way, and on top of that…

_Give me eyes, kid._

_What? Hell no! You're not getting out of that cage!_

_Twerp, give me eyes and ears _now!_ I'm not going to take over you. Something's fishy; I don't like it._ Naruto hesitated for a moment, and the Kyuubi was even more insistent. _Hurry, kid. If we don't…_

_All right, all right!_ Naruto finally agreed. _But you'd better not take over me, Kyuubi._

When no sarcastic remark issued from Kyuubi's mouth, Naruto pressed his lips together. Something was definitely wrong if the demon was acting this way. Naruto relaxed his hands and stomach muscles, retreating into the hollow of his mind. The red chakra quickly engulfed him, but it wasn't caustic. Naruto's whole body relaxed, his eyes shifting for a moment.

Slit pupils and red eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. Ears rang with high-pitched squeals until the liquid reached equilibrium. Suddenly, Naruto could hear the dishes clinking in the back cleaning room of the restaurant, and he could hear Naito's intake of breath. A flurry of smells assaulted his nose, and he grunted before the scents calmed. He could smell Naito's confusion.

Naruto's eyes slowly adjusted to the sudden depth of vision. He could see every grain of the wall of wood in front of him. It was a little more than five hundred feet away, but that was quickly forgotten as a faint scent reached his nose. Naruto's eyes widened as he registered the scent.

_What?_

Kyuubi nodded curtly. _I'm afraid so. Every living thing possesses a unique smell, and I'd know this scent anywhere._

_But how? It doesn't make any sense._

_I don't know, kid. I don't know. But until I see him, we're going to have to assume that he's an enemy. _ The Kyuubi paused for a moment, taking control of Naruto's nose and inhaling the air the air around him. _We need to find him. Naito's only one person; I doubt that people will believe him if he tells anyone that he saw your eyes turn red. I'm keeping the chakra limited but strong, so your teeth and nails haven't changed. I've barely been able to keep your whiskers from darkening, though._

_It's okay, Kyuubi,_ Naruto reassured, somewhat surprised he had actually agreed to what Kyuubi was saying. _I don't like this either._ Naruto's pulse suddenly raced. _Sakura! She's at the training grounds…_

_Go, kid! We've got to move!_

For once in his life, Naruto obeyed Kyuubi's orders. He stood quickly, brushing past a very puzzled Naito and exiting the restaurant. His enhanced eyes frantically searched the sunlit village street, but he couldn't see anything. His teeth clenched in frustration; he could smell that scent, but the bearer was nowhere to be found.

_Kyuubi, I can't see him!_

_Go over the village _slowly_. He's got to be here—I can sense him. Look for an inconsistent spot of chakra, or an unusually built person or villager. I can almost guarantee that he will have chosen to look like a part of the village._

Naruto nodded quickly, and walked through the village's main street. Everywhere he went, he could sense that strange pulse of chakra. It was faint, but always there. He could sense the well-developed chakra of Amegakure's shinobi, and the undeveloped chakra of regular civilians. Naruto carefully spread out his senses, keeping Kyuubi's sensitive chakra to a minimum so it wasn't seen.

_I can feel him, kid. Just keep walking. I'll tell you when to turn._

_Sure._

Though Naruto could feel him, too, the blonde kept looking, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scent's owner. Naruto was severely frustrated. He could sense that unusual chakra, but what if it suddenly moved, and ran towards the training grounds where Sakura was, completely unaware of what was going on?

_Nothing will happen to her, kid. I'll make sure of that._ There was a strange determination in Kyuubi's voice, and Naruto raised his eyebrows. Kyuubi growled. _It's nothing…_

_I don't believe—_

_Shut it, kid! He's right behind you! I _know_ he's there. Turn around quickly, and maybe we can catch him._

Naruto whirled, his eyes widening in sudden shock. Two pairs of blood red eyes locked. One scarlet tail swayed, and fists clenched angrily. Crimson fur bristled, and teeth clamped together as they lengthened. Naruto's eyes never left those smaller, equally red orbs.

_Kyuubi…_

For once, the demon was almost speechless. _Don't ask me, kid. I'm as stunned as you are._

A hiss unconsciously slipped from Naruto's lips, but it was directed at _that_, at the blood-red fox standing not two hundred feet away from him. The fox's eyes widened, and his tail whipped in the sudden wind that was created from his retreat. Naruto let out a feral snarl and raced after the fox, his eyes narrowing with realization as he saw where the fox was headed.

_Sakura!_

00000

Kick, punch, twirl. Duck, double punch, sweeping kick, chakra-enhanced uppercut. Sakura thrust out her arm, and Kakashi dodged the attack, her powerful fist crashing into a tree behind him. The tall oak shuddered, but stayed in place. Kakashi's eyes widened at the thick hole in the trunk. He could never get used to the sheer power that echoed in Sakura's fists, and he knew it would be bad news to get hit.

"Sakura," Kakashi said breathlessly. The kunoichi turned to him, almost out of breath as well. "I think we should call it a day. We don't want to stress your body too much. I know that you want to expand your chakra coils and the amount that your body produces, but you just turned eighteen. I don't think it'll get any bigger than it is now."

Because of his Sharingan, Kakashi's chakra supply was severely hampered. He had been forced to use it in this taijutsu match against Sakura. She had gotten better; she would never be up to par with someone such as Lee or Gai, but she was almost as good as Naruto. If it hadn't been for his Sharingan, Kakashi would have been obliterated.

Until she had been testing her chakra, her chakra reserves were only half of what Kakashi possessed. By exhausting her chakra these past few years, her body had been forced to produce more. A ninja's chakra capacity didn't fully develop and solidify until the closing of their eighteenth year, or even as late as their twentieth year. Naruto still had the largest chakra capacity that Kakashi had ever seen, even without the Kyuubi's immense power.

"All right, Kakashi-sensei. Am I getting better?"

The silver haired jounin nodded ruefully. She now had the approximate stamina that Kakashi had when he used his Sharingan. "Hai," he mumbled dejectedly.

Sakura smiled. "That's good," she murmured tiredly. She was extremely glad. She had forced herself to exhaustion almost every night, and had worked exceptionally hard to get to where she was now. She knew her chakra would never near the amount that Naruto had, but she at least wanted to be able to fend for herself. She had promised Naruto before he had left with Jiraiya that she wouldn't be a burden.

"I'm going to go, Sakura. If you need me to help you train, call me. But _don't_ try to work on your elemental chakra right now. You need lots of chakra and concentration, and you're too tired to that."

"But sensei—"

Kakashi held up his hand. "Tsunade-sama specifically ordered me to tell you that. Just because I told you that doesn't mean you have to specifically follow my orders. Even though you're still a chuunin and I'm a jounin, I no longer have the amount of authority over you that I used to. So, let's just say that I've warned you."

A chuckled sifted from Sakura's throat. "Arigatou, Kaka-sensei. You know me too well."

Kakashi smiled as he pulled his headband over his red eye. "True. Just… please tell Tsunade-sama that you heeded my advice. She'll kill me otherwise."

"Sure, sure, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura laughed. "We wouldn't want you in the hospital after a mission. Again."

"Wha…?" Kakashi began to speak, then stopped, a heavy sigh deflating his chest. "Is that how you view me?"

"No. You're still one of the best shinobi I know," Sakura smiled, even though her eyes were serious. "I just like to tease you about constantly being in the hospital. I know that a lot of the nurses like to see you."

The jounin's visible eye widened. "R-really?"

"You know, Kaka-sensei…" Sakura started, only to be stopped by Kakashi's hurried voice and the quick glimpse of an orange-covered book.

"Ja ne, Sakura!" With that, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura growled. "Damn whatever ninja came up with the teleportation jutsu…" The pink haired kunoichi sighed in frustration and sat on the grass, pulling out a fresh piece of wood. She glanced down at the wood in her hands. She almost had it. Not even Kakashi knew how far she had gotten. It had been almost a month and a half that she had been working on wetting this piece of wood.

She imagined her chakra as a small river of water flowing through her chakra cords and into the center of the palm where the water would come out. While it did take a lot of concentration, that was something that Sakura had no problem doing. Not to mention the fact that her chakra control was exceptional.

Her chakra circulated through her arm and to her palm, almost as if she were healing someone. Instead, she focused on the element of water, closing her eyes and throwing all of her concentration into that little bit of chakra swirling around. She could feel it; her chakra exited her palm at a medium speed, green walls rising up and surrounding the small piece of wood. She could imagine the way her chakra rose up like green tendrils, only come crashing back down on the object in her palm.

A gasp flitted through Sakura's lips, and her eyes snapped open. A slow smile crept up her mouth, and she couldn't keep the happiness from her face. She had done it! The whole entire piece of wood was wet, and when she split it, she realized that the water had soaked through the grain. Sakura pumped her fists in the air, screaming. She had finally done it!

Her determination renewed, Sakura continued to work on letting her chakra turn to water. She balanced the number for each hand, wanting to get the hang of this before she moved on to bigger things. Besides, she didn't want to have to favor one hand.

She leaned against a tree, her emerald eyes shut in exhaustion. She had really strained her system this time. But that didn't matter. She had finally completed that step, and after one more day of perfecting it without rushing too much, she would be ready for Kakashi to help her in the next step. Her breathing was slightly erratic, but she was happy for her exhaustion. It meant that she had worked hard, and that she would sleep well tonight.

The kunoichi carefully pushed herself to her feet, not wanting to strain herself too much anymore. Her chakra coils were starting their slow process of solidifying so no more chakra than what she already possessed would be developed.

A frown pulled down the corners of Sakura's mouth as she glanced at her hands. They were slightly bloody from punching at Kakashi. She hadn't worn gloves, and though she hadn't landed a hit on the Sharingan user, Sakura's fist had connected with many other things. She knew her face would have a few minor scratches; Kakashi had landed a few good hits on her.

One thing that Sakura never quite minded was getting beaten up, especially when she had asked to train. She had been worried about her looks or hair when she was younger, but she didn't mind getting dirty. If she asked for a friend or sensei to spar with her, she expected them to give it all they had. Besides, she liked working out like this, letting any—if at all—pent up anger loose.

The sudden rustle of leaves brought Sakura's attention to the bush on her left. A crimson fox burst from the foliage, a worried look in its eyes. Sakura gasped in surprise, noting the blood-red color of the coat and how the jet-black on his legs created a slimming effect. A small white spot was barely visible on the tip of his tail. But what froze Sakura were the scarlet eyes. She had seen similar eyes…

It slid to a stop near her, seeming to appraise her appearance. The fox looked calm and seemed to mean no harm. It neared her, and Sakura smiled. She noticed that it was much bigger than most foxes, and the ears at the side of his head were different than the ears of most foxes. However, the information didn't necessarily click in her mind why this fox looked so familiar.

"Hey, little guy."

Somehow, it seemed as if the fox raised his eyebrows. Well, maybe he wasn't so little. He was twice as big as any normal fox, but he didn't look harmful. The rich color of his coat did strike Sakura as odd, but she could only feel mild unease around the fox. It sniffed the air, and blood-red eyes locked on her knuckles. Sakura quickly hid her hands behind her back, mumbling something about her stupidity.

The fox glanced around, and deemed it safe for the moment. He had suppressed his chakra as much as possible to help him escape. He would probably be in big trouble if that boy found him here, but he had to try and warn the girl before the two Konoha chuunin were caught completely off guard.

"Miss Haruno."

The pink haired kunoichi couldn't help but fall as she heard the thick, deep voice echo from the fox. Her green eyes were wide and stared at the animal as if it had grown two heads. But more importantly…

"How do you know my name?" Her voice shook with slight fear.

"That is besides the point. I must warn you. I believe you know about Takai, a newly founded organization that targets medical ninja. I need to warn you to be careful." A few bushes rustled and the fox crouched. His eyes narrowed. "I don't have any more time. Always watch your back."

The fox crouched lower and moved to run when Sakura thrust out her arm. "Wait! What's your name?"

Despite the growing tension and danger in the air, a smirk crossed the fox's face. "My name is Chisoku."

00000

_Dammit, Kyuubi! I can't find him!_

_Hold on for a moment and relax, kid! _Kyuubi admonished. _I can't find him with your emotions raging all over the place, and you're clogging up your senses. I can't hear or smell anything if you keep trying to take control over them. _

_Easy for you to say!_ Naruto scoffed, but did as the demon suggested. He closed his eyes, opening his ears and nose to the sounds and smells in the forest around him. He could hear the chirping birds, the leaves rustling in the wind. His nose tingled at the scent of dirt, grass, and the faintest scent of unmistakable cherry blossoms. Naruto made up his mind right then and there.

_Kyuubi, I'm going to Sakura. I have to make sure that she's all right. I'll look for him if I find that she's safe, but I have to know that she isn't hurt._

The demon nodded. _Fine, then. Let's go see her._

Naruto burst off, keeping himself calm as he followed the cherry-like scent. But it was getting harder and harder to control himself. What if she were hurt? She was a medic, but she wasn't a frontline fighter, either. He knew she could handle herself well, but that fox was fast.

Suddenly, Naruto's mad dash was halted. There was that scent again. It was near her… near Sakura… A guttural growl rippled through Naruto's throat as he charged headlong toward the training ground. Why was that fox near her? What was it after?

The two scents grew stronger together, reflecting that the two were close. Naruto didn't care if he parted bushes or made noise. He had to get there fast. His keen eyesight caught only a single image: Sakura was on the ground, staring at a crouched red fox. And along with the smell of cherries and musk, Naruto could smell the _blood._

He pulled on Kyuubi's chakra, his nails lengthening as the dangerous red chakra gave Naruto an extra burst of speed.

_Watch it, Twerp! You're the one that's psycho about using my chakra!_

Naruto didn't pay attention. He roared at the fox, the sound loud and terrifying in the impending silence. The fox's eyes widened as Naruto swept in front of Sakura. He crouched low, his arms out in a protective manner. He might let the fox go… _if_ it left when Naruto told it to. Naruto's lips curled instinctively over his teeth as he threatened to roar again.

"Get away," Naruto spat. "Leave now, or I _will_ kill you."

The fox stared at Naruto before whirling and racing off into the brush. Naruto heard Sakura mumble something about "chisoku" meaning "speed", but he hurriedly turned to her, his eyes appraising her.

Sakura suppressed a gasp. The eyes! That was what had seemed familiar. The red of the Kyuubi and the red of the other fox's eyes were almost exact replicas in shape, but Kyuubi's eyes were slightly redder, a freshly spilled blood color.

As soon as Naruto's gaze rested on Sakura's knuckles, she blushed and tried to hide them. Naruto grasped her hands, being careful not to hurt her. For a moment, he looked away, battling at the addicting power of Kyuubi's chakra. His thumb rubbed the back of her hand, trying to feel its silkiness.

Slowly, his nails returned to normal, as did his teeth, and his eyes flickered from red to blue until they retained their natural color. He turned his eyes again to Sakura's, noting the confusion in the green irises.

"Why are your knuckles bloody? Did he do this to you?"

Though Sakura could tell Naruto was concerned, she was slightly indignant. "Did you think that I couldn't handle this on my own? I'm not weak, you know."

Naruto's jaw clenched. "Of course you're not weak, Sakura! But he was a _fox_. How many times do you see foxes like him?" Naruto was almost shouting.

"What, so every time something comes near or threatens me, you have to come in and save me?" Sakura was yelling now, too. "I'm not twelve anymore! Being strong is exactly what I've worked for all these years!"

"I know…" Naruto mumbled, and he wasn't lying. Not only had her mind matured from a crushing twelve-year-old, but her body had filled out, and was still filling out. He hadn't paid too much attention to her figure until recently…

And suddenly, her fist connected with the top of his head. "Are you even listening? You have to stop trying to protect me all the time!"

"But I saw you in front of him!" Naruto protested. "You were absolutely petrified. I could _smell_ your fear, Sakura!" He hated the smell of fear, especially Sakura's fear. He would do anything to prevent it.

Sakura huffed, but her anger melted and she looked down in embarrassment. "So I was afraid. But that was only because he talked!"

"He talked?" Naruto's voice had gone strangely low.

"Well, yeah."

"What did he say?"

"He mentioned something about Takai. He also said something along the lines of always watching our backs, but I'm not too sure what he meant by that." Sakura's eyebrows knitted with worry, because she could feel Naruto's anger.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry that I scared you, too. And… for thinking that I always have to save you."

Sakura brushed it away. "Ne, don't worry about it. I… overreacted a bit." The small smile on Naruto's lips gave Sakura the cue to continue. "Besides, I have to know that at least someone's got my back."

Naruto's smile widened, and he leisurely placed his hands in his pockets as he slowly walked away. Sakura knew the gesture, and hurried to fall into step beside him. The previous tension was gone, but they could feel each other's hesitation. Finally, Sakura decided to be first to speak.

"So, do you think that he could have been a demon?"

Teeth extended over a smooth, tan lip. "I don't think so. Kyuubi knows what demons smell like, and this wasn't a demon. It was something different, though."

Sakura thought a moment. "But since he could talk…" Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Naruto, do you think he's some form of summon? A summon that has been 'extinct', or a type of summon that no one has heard of before?" Her green eyes searched Naruto's suddenly distant ones.

"Kyuubi says it's definitely possible. He remembers something about a clan of foxes, but it was something only mentioned in passing, mostly a rumor."

"Hmm. Well, maybe not a rumor anymore."

Naruto laughed. "No, maybe not."

The two walked in silence through the forest. They still had a bit of the village to travel through until they reached the academy. Sakura marveled in the fact of how close she and Naruto had gotten over the past month and a half. In the two years that they had been in Konoha as a team of two, not once had they been forced into such proximity of each other. Maybe it was because they were in Amegakure, not Konoha. Or perhaps the reason was because this was a long-term mission, and in order to complete it, they had to work together. Well, live together as well.

Sakura didn't exactly like living with Naruto. It wasn't that he used to be a slob and she felt safer with someone else in the room. She liked to have her privacy, and a bathroom to herself, and a place where she could waltz around in a sports bra and small cloth shorts if she so wished. Besides, having a guy live with her seemed to bring unwanted thoughts to mind.

For Naruto, it wasn't simply the fact that he liked to be alone. Granted, it became extremely boring in a small apartment by himself, and having someone near—even though he hardly talked to her while they were in the room—was nice for a change. It was the fact that she was sleeping mere feet away from him, her lithe and petite form vulnerable as she slept. It didn't help that the moonlight always shone on her skin, giving it a soft, milky look. Her pink hair always hung over the pillow in some way or another as her ribcage rose slowly, indicating her usual deep sleep.

Sure, he had spent nights with her plenty of times. To save time and energy on their missions, only one tent would be used. She would undress first and crawl into the sleeping bag, and Naruto would be next. It was a good system, but never before had he been assigned to a long-term mission, one that would _require_ him to be with Sakura all the time. It was easy to slip back into the habit of suppressing his emotions when alone at home, but here, it was a totally different matter.

At first, it never occurred to him that living with Sakura would ever be a problem. She was sensible and focused, ready to put him in his place if necessary. But the first night was when it all started, when it finally seemed to sink in that he was _living_ with Sakura. And then he had started to really take notice of her, to study her personality and form and see if he really had buried those feelings after all.

They hadn't been buried. He probably never _had_ buried them. He remembered his attempts to ignore her smell, her eyes, her touch—anything that might bring those feelings back again. He was tired of getting hurt by those close to him. But he realized that he was even more tired of hurting others, of causing them pain. If he were no one's friend, then he wouldn't hurt them, and people wouldn't hurt him.

However, those feelings for Sakura were feelings that he hadn't been able to push down.

_No one can,_ Kyuubi said sadly. _No one can truly rid themselves of feelings such as those unless they truly give themselves over to hatred for that person. Even if they decide to move on, those feelings never fully disappear._

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly. _All right, Kyuubi. Something's _definitely_ wrong with you if you keep talking to me like this._

_What? Would you rather I yell at you all the time, call you foolish, an idiot, and a twerp?_

Naruto almost laughed. _You do that anyway._

_True,_ the demon's small chuckle rumbled in Naruto's mind.

_No, I like the "new you." Less scathing, more honorable… You know, that sort of stuff. Believe it or not, I actually like it sometimes when you talk to me. Takes the monotony out of things._

_Well, I'm glad it's so… pleasurable for you._ Kyuubi paused before continuing. _Life does get rather monotonous. I suppose it's pleasant to talk to you, too… when you're not being a twerp._

Though Naruto inwardly smiled at the fox, the blonde didn't miss something else in Kyuubi's voice. _So you've been lonely, too, huh?_

_For many years, kid. Way too many years._

Before Naruto could question the fox further, Sakura's voice brought him out of his inner conversation. The two chuunin had just reached the academy. Where had the time gone?

"Naruto?" she called again. "Are you all right?"

The blonde nodded. "I'm fine."

But the pink haired kunoichi didn't fully believe him. Naruto could tell from the small pout her lips formed. She hesitated a moment, then blurted out what was on her mind. "I can tell when you talk to him."

"What? How?"

"Well, your eyes get distant, and your face makes these small expressions. If Kyuubi says something amusing, your eyebrows twitch. If it's funny, your mouth twitches. If he mutters something mean or rude, your eyes flash slightly."

Naruto couldn't find anything to say. He had no idea that Sakura paid that much attention to him.

_Well, isn't she an attentive one…_ Kyuubi smiled slyly.

_Oh, please do _not_ say something embarrassing about her!_

"You're doing it again!"

"Huh?"

Sakura sighed. "You're doing it again. You're talking to him."

"How… How do you know that?" Naruto was still surprised at her knowledge of him and his expressions. The two had just stopped at the door to the academy stairwell that would take them to the first and second floors.

"Well, I only just started to piece things together. I don't really know how I knew, but occasionally, I'd hear you growl, or you temper would suddenly flare and then go down again…" Sakura shrugged, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything…"

"Ne, it's okay, Sakura. Don't worry about it."

She smiled thankfully before stepping up the stairs, Naruto following. He couldn't help but let his eyes appraise her, and unfortunately for him, Kyuubi seemed to be having even more wicked thoughts.

_Oh, shut it, pervert!_ Naruto yelled, momentarily closing his communication with the fox as he hurried after Sakura. He was forced to cut off the connection again when he eyed Sakura preparing for bed, because he knew Kyuubi would have something to say about curves and skin and legs…

Naruto gulped. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for him to think about that either…

It was an hour or so before Naruto finally took his concentration off of his studying to notice Sakura's stare. Once his eyes met hers, she looked down, before raising her head. Her emerald eyes held a spark of determination.

"Naruto." She continued when he raised his head to look at her. "We know that Takai is out looking for medics, and I happen to fall into that category. As much as I would love for this mission to be leisurely, we have to start digging for information. Tsunade-shishou has been reminding me to search, and I know that we haven't heard anything yet."

The blonde nodded, not sure of what she was getting at. Sure, they needed more information, but how? She seemed to read his thoughts.

"I found out about a meeting. The four that teach us—Akane, Daichi, Seiichi, and Hiroyuki—secretly planned a gathering of the four of them plus the Amekage. I know it's risky, but your shadow clone technique is perfect for this."

"Then what's the plan?"

"Either you or one of your shadow clones henge into a bug. Against dark walls, it'll be the insect least likely to be seen. I know it's dangerous, but I would almost prefer it if you either had three or four shadow clones, or just yourself listening in on that meeting. In case they say something about us or Konoha, I don't want it to be forgotten."

Naruto smiled. This was why he and she were the ideal team. She was the planner, definitely not as good as Shikamaru, but her ideas were pretty spot on. She told him her preference, ways that might work best and her reasons for choosing them, but she left the decision to him. She always tried to think the situation through before proposing it.

"What will you be doing?" Naruto was slightly worried that she would insist on coming.

Her head lowered. "I'm going to be staying here. If I'm not mistaken, that meeting might take a while, and I don't have the ability to hold a jutsu for as long as you do."

Naruto nodded in approval. "When am I doing this?" He was prepared for a week from now, or two days, or even tomorrow, but not for the answer that she gave.

"Tonight."

00000

**A/N:** So, what'd you guys think of this one? I hope you guys like it. This one was hard to write, but fun. I had to set up for quite a few things happening in this chapter.

- wolf's paradise


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Well, because of school I'll have to push back the updates to once every month until I'm either out of school or I have the time to actually write some more chapters. Not to mention I'm getting over a finger injury (ripped my nail clean off), so typing has been limited.

Again, thanks to my wonderful betas for going over this story for me. I appreciate all the time that they take out of their days to look over it, so thanks guys! For all my reviewers:

Cecixx19: Thanks! I liked writing it, but it was kinda slow and confusing with the fox, but I'm glad you still liked it!

Lou: Well, here's more!

xANxRiceBoy: I did already answer your questions about the organizations methods, but as for your question about Sakura withholding the information, you will actually learn that in this chapter!

AwesomeEyes: Haha! Well, I'm glad that you like updates! I do too!

Well, please enjoy this chapter, guys, and I hope you review more!

* * *

Chapter Seven

* * *

Blond eyebrows rose. "Tonight?"

Sakura nodded grimly. "Hai. I found out about it today when I went to the training grounds. I didn't tell you right away because of the circumstances, and also because I wasn't sure if it'd be worth our time. But, I really think we should listen to it."

Naruto nodded, but for some reason, he didn't move. Sakura looked upset despite the fact that she had come up with the plan. She usually sported a confident smile as she got ready with him… Naruto's lips pressed into a grim line. So, that was why she looked dejected.

"Sakura…"

"Ugh, I feel completely useless!" Her fists pounded into the mattress, shaking it dangerously. "I can't do anything."

"Sakura." Naruto's voice was firm, and her fiery green eyes met his. "You are _not_ useless. Don't you remember all those people you've saved? What about Masuyo and Takara? Are they useless? Was helping them useless?"

He could tell that she was trying to stay angry. Her voice shook. "No."

Naruto would give it one last try. He really had no clue to what he should say, but he would try anyway. "Sakura, you know you can do many things that most ninja can't. I only know how to heal a scratch, or a minor wound. You can perform intricate surgery. Just because your chakra capacity isn't like mine does not mean you're useless."

Seems he hit the nail on the head. Her eyes narrowed as they glanced at her crossed legs, but she nodded in indignant defeat. "Fine," she whispered, but he could see her smile. He could tell that she was happy with what he had said. He silently sighed in relief, thankful that he had actually said the right thing for once.

Suddenly, an idea formed in his head. Maybe he could actually make her day. Well, night.

"You can come with me."

"What?"

"You can come with me," Naruto repeated. When her eyes questioned him, he explained. "I know a jutsu that allows me to share my chakra with you. You can come with me." He paused for a moment, unsure if he should say it. He pressed his lips together and decided to go for it. "I _want_ you to come with me."

Her smile was bright enough to light up the entire room. He felt a strange pleasure at seeing her so happy. She blinked and nodded. He grimaced slightly as he realized he had just agreed to let her go. In all honesty, he wanted her here and safe, but the slip in her own self-esteem had been the catalyst that crushed his noble intentions. Now that he looked back, he could tell there had been plenty of times when he knew she felt sick with incompetence. How had he not noticed before?

The truth of the matter was the fact that he _had_ noticed, but tried to push away from her, so he wouldn't be tempted to bolster her confidence, only for his silence to tear it down again. He was so selfish. He knew that the main reason for drawing away was because _he_ was hurt—not anybody else.

Another fact that he suddenly realized was Sakura's insane ability to retain information almost perfectly. She would be the better candidate to handle this particular part of the mission, but he wanted to go with her and make sure she would be safe. He couldn't explain the change in him, but for her sake, he wanted to be kind, and to protect her again.

"So, how do you do it then?" she asked, her hands folded, ready for anything that Naruto might say.

He smiled. "Well, first I'm going to create two shadow clones that will represent us in this room, just in case there's a check-up. I doubt it will happen, but we can't be too sure. Secondly, we need to get into our ninja gear before we henge into bugs."

Sakura nodded, quickly changing in the bathroom and placing her medical gear on her back before turning to Naruto. He, too, had changed out of his pants and t-shirt. However, there were two other clones in the room. One was Naruto in the t-shirt and pants that he wore for bed, and the other clone had henged into Sakura, wearing her red plaid pants and loose t-shirt. The medic raised her eyebrows.

Naruto averted his eyes quickly, successfully fighting down a blush. "Well, I have to make it believable. You know, like it was really you."

The pink haired answered before she could stop herself. "Naruto, unless Ino were to suddenly appear, _you_ are the only one to see me in my pajamas."

This time, Naruto couldn't hide the blush that heated his face. _He_ had been the only one to see Sakura like that besides Ino? Well, he and Sakura had been on many missions together, and had often shared the same tent. Unless he was out of commission for a while—which usually never happened thanks to Sakura and Kyuubi's healing ability—he and Sakura were always paired together.

"Uh… Sakura… you don't have to… I can find another room…" His face reddened even more. Where had his confidence gone? Where was the calm façade that he had worked to build? Just a few simple words, and this pink-haired woman in front of him had him completely undone.

"Just shut up, baka. Let's go," she mumbled, her face flushing crimson.

"No, really, Sakura… I can leave… if you don't want to be in the same room with me… that's okay…" he trailed off. This was getting too awkward.

The medic gave an exasperated sigh. "Naruto, if I were uncomfortable with you being in the same room while I'm in my pajamas, I'd have punched you unconscious before you could see me." Suddenly, Sakura seemed to realize what she had just said at the same time that Naruto did. If it were possible, her pink face darkened. Naruto's eyes were wide.

Sakura quickly walked away, hurrying out of the room to avoid more embarrassment. Naruto rushed after her, falling into step beside her. She didn't look at him, and he could feel her discomfort at the words she had chosen to say. He wanted to say something—anything—to make her feel better, but he was wondering what she had meant by those words. She hadn't punched him… _yet_. Then did that mean…? No, she liked Sasuke. Not him. She belonged to Sasuke.

When the two reached the stairs descending to the first floor, Sakura turned to the blonde next to her. "We should turn into bugs pretty soon. They are having the meeting on the first floor in the room that we first went to, where the Amekage introduced us to the others. Do you remember?"

Naruto nodded, and stopped her when she tried to go. "Wait," he said softly. "Let me tell you the jutsu before you punch my lights out when I have to help you hold it for a long time."

The pink haired kunoichi nodded for him to continue. "One of the best chakra receiving points is in the stomach right above the bellybutton. I'm going to have to put my hand there so I can transfer my chakra into your system."

Sakura nodded again, her eyes determined and focused. However, her mind was spinning. Hopefully, having Naruto's hand constantly on her stomach wouldn't distract her from listening to the meeting. She crept down the stairs, her feet completely noiseless as she used her chakra to keep any part of the wood from creaking. The classrooms were empty, but Sakura crouched down anyway, skillfully slinking like a cat past the empty rooms.

Naruto crouched too, but his approach was more aggressive. Sakura looked at him before molding a little chakra and changing into a beetle. Naruto did the same, dropping down until the walls towered above him. The two crawled close to the far door, low voices reaching their ears. Sakura glanced at Naruto, the beetle appearance only a thin outline as she looked at his real self.

"Keep your chakra low," she murmured. He nodded, watching her green eyes flash with determination. It really was brilliant—this secondary henge jutsu. He and Sakura had accidentally discovered it one mission. It allowed the two teammates to fool other people, but their true form was not hidden from the other teammate. He could still see that faint outline around Sakura, but she looked like herself, pink hair and all.

He nodded, slipping under the door with Sakura alongside of him. He motioned for her to follow him to the bottom corner of the meeting room. It seemed that they had gotten there just in time. The four jounin were sitting around the Amekage's desk, whispering quietly amongst themselves. Sakura joined the blonde, sidling up to him. She nodded in affirmation, and Naruto quickly made a few hand signs.

Sakura's pulse raced when Naruto's hand pressed gently against her clothed stomach. Her heart skipped in her chest when she felt Naruto's chakra slip past his fingers into her stomach. Suddenly, strength flowed through her chakra system, a small gasp flitted through her lips.

Immediately, she felt his chakra pause for a moment. "Sakura? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "It's fine, Naruto. But shut up. Someone else is coming," she mumbled breathlessly.

He nodded, resuming the flow of his chakra. It was only a miniscule amount, but Sakura felt the power in it. Only now did she realize the strength that Naruto possessed, but she was forced to lay those thoughts aside as the door to the office opened slowly.

The Amekage entered, his robes covering most of his form as he glided into the room. The four jounin stood to attention, and Sakura's eyes narrowed when she spotted a small book in the Amekage's hand. The older man sighed heavily before taking his seat, a worn hand coming to wearily run over his face.

"What is it? I'm a busy man, and I do not understand why we must meet at this untimely hour in the night."

"But Eiji-sama, all of us have questions." Daichi threw the Amekage a concerned look. He glanced at the other three and nodded when they threw in their own comments. Daichi carefully took the book from Eiji's hand.

Seiichi stole it from his brother. "Amekage-sama. Though I find these two youngsters smart and capable, especially the chuunin Haruno-san, but I can't help but wonder myself…"

Naruto and Sakura's eyes narrowed. So this meeting was about them?

"I agree, Eiji-sama," Hiroyuki added. "Though I believe that these two are very honorable, I have yet to see their full potential. I hardly know any wind ninja that are capable to handle a technique that was as powerful as Uzumaki-san's was. And Miss Haruno-san. There are shinobi that can create craters, and hers was small. But I'm sure no one can create earthquakes."

"However," Seiichi interrupted. "I know that Haruno-san did train under the legendary Godaime Hokage and Slug Sannin of Konoha: Tsunade. If she was trained under that legendary woman, then there is no doubt that she has that power."

"How do you know?" Akane was suspicious.

"I saw her heal a little boy right in my class. I have never seen medical knowledge that amazing since I heard about Tsunade-sama's accomplishments."

Sakura felt a smug smirk touch her lips. Finally, someone older recognized that she was really a knowledgeable kunoichi. Naruto's chakra faltered for a moment, tightened, and she gave him a questioning gaze. The blonde simply shook his head, his chakra steadying.

Eiji nodded, motioning for the book to be handed back to him. Seiichi did as requested, and Eiji slowly opened the book. "So, you two are here to debate the true intentions of Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura? And I am to clear up these questions?" He closed the book.

The four nodded. Eiji shifted in his chair.

"Their purpose is entirely honorable. I myself asked them to come."

"What?" Four barely-concealed shouts echoed throughout the room. Naruto smirked. So that was why it seemed as if the mission had been written specifically for him and Sakura. The Amekage had specifically requested them to help.

"Why would you do that?" Daichi protested. "We can handle this by ourselves! We don't need Konoha's help."

"Daichi," the old man sighed tiredly. "We need to make good relations with Konoha. They helped us to get rid of Pein and the other Akatsuki members that had taken over our village. Do you want me to forget the compassion that they showed us and attempt to fix this on our own, when we know we can't?"

"So it's some political deal."

"No, it isn't, Daichi. I put in a personal request to Konoha's Hokage because I trusted any ninja that she might send. If you haven't noticed, Konoha has many fine shinobi, and some of the best medical treatment that saved a lot of our village. Their able ninja came and helped us rebuild it. I know that this might be bigger than us. So, I called in for help."

Hiroyuki sucked in a breath. "Did you specifically request them?"

"I did."

"Why?" It was Seiichi this time.

"I have heard much about this pair. Most of these thoughts have been my own ideas; I have no solid evidence as to whether it is true or not. Still, I think they are very real possibilities. However, that is for later discussion. I asked for Tsunade-sama to send these two shinobi because of their abilities."

Again, Naruto's chakra tightened. He was fighting for control. Sakura placed a hand on Naruto's cheek. His eyes flicked to hers, full of pain, conflict, and anger. She breathed in, knowing it would silence her whisper. "Snap out of it, Naruto. It's okay."

She wasn't sure he believed her, but Naruto nodded and looked back. He hoped that Eiji wouldn't say anything about Kyuubi. Anything could happen if it was mentioned, and he did not want another organization after him. For the moment, since he had become a lot more powerful, most people tended to leave him alone, and didn't dare to go against him.

For a moment, Naruto struggled to keep himself under control. Naruto had to push the thoughts away from his head, thoughts on what he would do if the old man mentioned the Kyuubi to the other jounin. He had to concentrate on keeping his chakra low, on maintaining a steady flow to Sakura. If some of the Kyuubi's chakra leaked into her system, it could harm her.

_I would try not to let it hurt her._

_Kyuubi… Getting a protective nature now, huh?_

_Just be quiet, Twerp._

Akane had just finished asking a question, and Naruto was glad that Sakura had come along. He definitely would have gotten too distracted.

"Their abilities were very intriguing," Eiji continued. "I had heard about their mission success rate. It seems that they have successfully completed almost all of their missions. Most of the ones that they failed were when they were younger and part of a team with the last remaining Uchiha."

"Sasuke?" Daichi queried.

Eiji nodded. Sakura and Naruto stiffened. How had they known that?

_I wonder if they spied… Or if word just travels fast,_ Kyuubi wondered aloud.

_I don't know,_ Naruto answered. _But I sure hope they don't talk about him long. I hope he isn't the missing ninja that we are required to find, because that would present a major problem._

Kyuubi nodded. _Yes, it would._

"As of right now, their record as a team is three or four missions reported as failed." The old man leaned back in his chair. "I asked Tsunade-sama for this information so I could properly judge talent and skill and request the best team for the village's needs. As I thought, these two were best suited for the job."

Seiichi sighed. "I understand, Eiji-sama. Still, I can't help but think that there is something more to these two. They don't pay attention in class, but they ace the tests or pop quizzes that I throw out there."

Eiji shrugged. "Tsunade-sama told me that her pupil was very smart, and retained information better than most."

"But that's just the girl," Daichi pointed out. "What about Uzumaki-san?"

"You sound like you hate him, Daichi," Hiroyuki scoffed.

Daichi held up his hands in defense. "I don't hate him. I just haven't been able to teach him anything. He already seems to know how to find water. I am glad that Haruno-san was finally able to find her chakra affinity, but I haven't had to teach Uzumaki-san anything. He simply sits there, almost as if he's bored."

Eiji chuckled. "Like I said, Daichi—I specifically requested these two. Being part of this program is simply a cover-up so that they can find the rogue ninja. They don't have to be taught. In fact, I hired them hoping that they were jounin. Instead, they must be highly talented chuunin, if what I have heard about them is correct."

"I just… I haven't really known anyone to be that smart before. Especially if he's only a chuunin…" Daichi shook his head. To him, it really was hard to imagine a person so young being so powerful.

"Konoha seems to have been gifted with many things," the old man shrugged. "They were gifted with the Uchiha clan. I doubt any one of you forgot the genius of Itachi." The four nodded in agreement, and Eiji continued. "Let's not forget that they also have Hatake Kakashi the Copy Ninja, a shinobi that is here in our village working with Uzumaki-san and Haruno-san."

"Hatake Kakashi?" Hiroyuki questioned excitedly. He had heard much about the talented jounin and retired ANBU, and had bragged about Kakashi's talent to his own students.

"Yes," Eiji nodded. "Konoha also provided our shinobi world with the great Sannin. Thankfully, Orochimaru is deceased, but I cannot say I enjoy the fact that Jiraiya-sama is dead as well. Tsunade-sama is the current Hokage and the best medic ninja of our current time. The Aburame and Inuzuka clans are excellent for tracking, not to mention the Byakugan of the Hyuuga clan is extremely useful…"

"Yeah, yeah," Daichi waved. "We get it. Konoha has a lot better ninja than we do."

"No, Daichi, that is not what I am saying," Eiji said firmly. "I love this village, and I believe that we have many strong clans. I am simply saying that with such talent coming from that village, it is no surprise to see a kunoichi and shinobi bearing so much skill and knowledge."

Seiichi nodded. "I would like to meet Hatake-san. Do you think he would be willing to meet us? I know Hiroyuki and I would be very interested in asking him about many of the water jutsu he knows. A thousand jutsu? There _has_ to be something that we could learn…"

"I am glad you are eager to learn more, Seiichi." Eiji smiled. "However, I cannot divulge more about Haruno-san and Uzumaki-san's mission. It is confidential material, and I believe that is all you four need to know."

Akane shifted in her seat. "Eiiji-san, do you think they are both capable of fighting? Uzumaki-san is, judging from the jutsu that I witnessed when I was with Hiroyuki. Since I haven't been needed, I was only there for Uzumaki-san's demonstration, and did not get to witness Haruno-san's abilities."

"Well, I'm not sure about Haruno-san," Hiroyuki answered. "I had her fight Naito, and like I said before, she only made a small crater. She did knock him out, but I think Naito was holding back. He told me he wouldn't hurt her."

Sakura scoffed silently. Naito hadn't been giving it his best, but then again, she hadn't either. She hadn't wanted to kill the poor boy, but she knew she could make a ground-shattering earthquake if needed. Naruto glanced at Sakura.

_Oh yeah. She could definitely hurt me if she wanted._

_Hurt you? _Naruto was certainly confused.

_If you hadn't noticed, Twerp, I reside in your body. I feel what you feel. It'd be different if I were in demon form. Tolerance of pain is quite high in demons, and she'd be out of chakra before she'd hurt me in my normal form. Still, I feel the pain you feel when she hits you. Her chakra is just as fiery as her personality._

Naruto smiled. _Hmm. Yeah, but it's kind, too. Caring. Necessary for being a good medic._

_I suppose she can be nice,_ Kyuubi agreed reluctantly.

_Oh, shut it. You know very well how nice she can be. And has been._

_Hmm._

Naruto tuned his ears from his conversation with Kyuubi back to what the five shinobi were saying.

"So, you don't think she's a very good apprentice of the Hokage?" Akane asked.

Hiroyuki shook his head, and Naruto felt the miniscule spike of Sakura's chakra. She was still in control, and he turned to look at her face. The look present on her features surprised him. She wasn't angry at being slighted; her fingers were rhythmically curling and uncurling, and a smirk twisted her lips. She knew that she was better than they thought, and she knew that she could crush a skull with two fingers. Naruto was glad that she was finally accepting her strength, because really, Sakura could be much scarier than she looked.

"I mean, I know that Naito wasn't trying his hardest, but I think she was," Hiroyuki rushed to explain. "She was out of breath after she had sat next to Uzumaki-san."

Sakura felt her cheeks redden. Hiroyuki had noticed that? Well, that was certainly better than knowing what had really transpired between her and Naruto.

"So, she doesn't really show promise?" Akane asked.

Eiji held up his hands. "Now, now, Akane. Haruno-san is not going to threaten your position for the most capable kunoichi. However, I feel that I need to explain my theories on these two. Another reason I requested them was to verify information in our Bingo Book."

The four murmured in agreement.

"It says here that Konoha has two famous jounin worthy of an ANBU rank. The male often wears a red fox mask, while the female wears a red tiger mask. It is said that these masks reflect their personalities."

Seiichi scoffed. "Hmm, I'm sure shinobi know a lot about them after they're killed."

Eiji chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure they do. But this information in the Bingo Book is of an unknown pair of shinobi from Konoha. A few of my trusted sources have provided us with this information." Eiji paused for a moment, opening the book and flipping halfway through the worn and unused pages. "'Talyn: Blond haired male. Medium height. Fox mask. Represents a sly mind and speed. Rank is jounin. Is often seen with a pink-haired kunoichi, most likely his teammate. He has been given the name Talyn because of his favorite weapon besides ninjutsu: claws.'"

"I've heard of him," Seiichi whispered gravely.

"We all have," Hiroyuki whispered back. "Haven't a few people said something about Talyn having fangs?"

"No." Eiji shook his head. "That is a myth."

Naruto winced when he felt Sakura's eyes on him. He turned to her, watching the anger flash in her eyes. Hard emerald held not a request, but a demand for an explanation. Naruto knew that Sakura would not let the topic rest until he had told her.

_It's not like she'll rat you out if you were using my chakra,_ Kyuubi shrugged.

Sakura's eyebrows rose in expectation. "Well?" she whispered.

"I don't use his chakra," Naruto replied. He decided that he'd better elaborate. Sakura's fist was not closing and unclosing for nothing. Naruto couldn't hold Sakura's gaze, and looked away. "I use the claws as a scare tactic. My face is always hidden behind the mask. Claws tend to break a ninja's resolve much faster, just like your super-punch. Ninja aren't used to witnessing strength such as yours, just like they aren't used to seeing claws grow on someone's hand."

"You don't use his power?" Sakura looked like she was hoping—begging—that what he had just said was true.

Naruto shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "He and I might talk, but I suppress his chakra. Only a minimal amount is needed for my hands, but the strength is all mine."

Sakura sighed. It wasn't that she was scared of Naruto when he was using Kyuubi's chakra; she was worried. She knew how much Kyuubi's chakra harmed Naruto's cells and chakra system. Considering the look on his face, and the way he had flinched when he had met her angry gaze, Sakura figured that she should apologize.

"I'm sorry." It was difficult to push past her pride, but she set her lips and continued. "I get worried. His chakra damages your system, and shortens your life…"

Naruto's eyes widened. She worried about him?

_Obviously._

The blonde ignored the demon's sarcastic remark. "It's… It's okay, Sakura."

She nodded, her eyes going back to the conversation. Naruto gazed at her slightly pink-tinted face and the way her lashes curled above her lids. He was suddenly very aware of the hand on her stomach.

_Pay attention, Twerp._

Naruto growled. _Shut up, Fox! It's not my fault she keeps surprising me!_

_Twerp… I'm warning you…_

The corners of Naruto's mouth turned down as Kyuubi cut off the connection between them. Damn, bossy fox.

"… So, you believe that Uzumaki-san is Talyn?" Hiroyuki queried. "That he's the jounin-ranked ninja in the Bingo Book?"

"Yes," Eiji nodded. "When I first met him… Did you feel the power of his chakra? Did any of you attempt to pay attention?"

"Well," Akane started. "We all had the suspicion that the two of them might be the ones in the book, but when we saw them…"

"We doubted if our beliefs were true," Daichi finished for her. "We expected them to be young, but not the actual age of most of these students. We looked for a henge technique, or anything that might be hiding their age, but they weren't using anything."

"What does it say about Talyn's teammate?" Seiichi asked.

Eiji sighed. "'Chikara: Pink haired female. Petite, medium height. Tiger mask. Represents strength and cunning. Wears black. Shrewd. Rank is jounin. Is often seen with a blond-haired shinobi, most likely her teammate. Because of her occasional show of strength, she has been given the name Chikara. Along with her strength, Chikara is often known to disappear in a swirl of pink leaves, leaving opponents confused as she kills them."

Now it was Naruto's turn to give Sakura a questioning glare. She gulped, looking away from her teammate. She cast a furtive glance his way, and swallowed again.

"I… know a little genjutsu."

Blond eyebrows rose, still questioning.

Sakura sighed. "My main field is medicine. I can fight with the Mystical Palm and other medical jutsu, but Kurenai noticed that I was able to recognize and dispel genjutsu easier than most ninja. She taught me a few things, but I'm not a big genjutsu user. It's simply enough to keep people guessing."

"Hmm," Naruto grunted.

_She's gotten stronger_, Kyuubi mused.

Naruto didn't answer. He still fed Sakura his chakra, but no doubt Kyuubi was right. She had gotten stronger; in all their fights together, he had never noticed if she had used genjutsu. Then again, genjutsu really wasn't Naruto's strong point.

"… And it doesn't mention any use of medical jutsu?" It was Seiichi.

Eiji shook his head.

Akane pursed her lips. "But there's no way Chikara _isn't_ Haruno-san. There aren't many kunoichi with red hair, but I don't know any other kunoichi besides her that have pink hair."

"So you're pretty sure that Haruno-san is Chikara?" Daichi asked.

The Amekage nodded.

Seiichi sighed loudly. "Talyn and Chikara. What a pair."

Seiichi's brother nodded. "They are in our very midst—around the school. Do you think they might harm any of our ninja? Or any other country's ninja?"

"No," Eiji said firmly. "I do not think they would do that. As worried as I am about their possible abilities, I trust them. They do not seem unkind. Besides, I trust Tsunade-sama, their Hokage. I do not believe that she would send untrustworthy ninja into our midst. Does any of this answer your questions?"

The four looked unsure.

"Only a little of their mission status is allowed to be discussed. However, every country and village has a copy of the Bingo Book, and is open for discussion. I am allowed to discuss my views."

The four nodded, and Akane spoke up. "So, what should we do? Should we confront them about it, or what?"

A weary hand rose to stroke a slightly wrinkled chin. "No, I do not believe that we should ask. If they are not Talyn and Chikara, then it will be like us saying that we don't trust them. None of this is supported by evidence, so I suggest we keep our beliefs quiet."

"Hai." Four voices rang in unison.

Eiji ran a hand over his face. "Is that all for tonight?"

"Hai," Daichi answered for the others.

Naruto quickly stopped the flow of chakra to Sakura's stomach, motioning for her to escape out of the bottom of the door. She nodded, scurrying into the hallway. They hurried to the stairs, quietly dispelling their jutsu and jumping up the steps just as the Amekage and four jounin teachers exited the room. Naruto felt his shadow clones disperse, and knew that nothing had gone wrong while they were gone. He shut the door as soon as Sakura rushed in after him.

"Well, that was interesting," Sakura murmured as she leaned against the closed door. "Looks like it was a good thing we went."

The blonde nodded. "You okay?"

A smile creased Sakura's lips, and her green eyes sparkled. "Am I okay? I feel like I could destroy a whole forest."

Naruto tilted his head, and Sakura's smile widened. "Your chakra is insane. Do you think the Amekage would forgive us if we destroyed his village with the excuse of just a friendly spar?" She laughed when Naruto shook his head and turned away. "I feel like I can run a marathon. If eating ramen gives you this much strength, I'm definitely going on that diet."

This time, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle, too. In just a few minutes, he was dressed in his black t-shirt and orange pants. Sakura, too, dressed in her comfortable pajamas, lying back on the bed as Naruto turned out the small light next to his headboard. The moonlight still shone on her bed, but it wasn't the reason why she couldn't fall asleep. It was the strange sensation of Naruto's chakra that kept her awake. It was so powerful, and it felt as if she were filled with a strange, exhilarating energy. She didn't want it to end, but eventually, sleep claimed her tired mind. She would send a message to Tsunade in the morning.

00000

The fox shifted, and finally stood. This cave was dreadfully uncomfortable, and the fox couldn't fall asleep. His mind was replaying the exchange between him and the boy, and those eyes were forever engrained in his memory. They held anger and fear. They held a strong desire to protect and yet an equally strong—if not stronger—desire to kill. But that wasn't what confused the fox the most.

That boy had been extremely fast. He should not have been able to find the fox so soon after losing him. His speed had been quick, almost too quick. He, Chisoku, the fastest fox of his clan, had been caught completely off guard by the boy's charge. He hadn't even seen him coming.

Still, though the boy's speed was certainly a troubling factor, it wasn't the most troubling. The boy shouldn't have known Chisoku was there. Naruto shouldn't have sensed him.

_Kyuubi,_ Chisoku thought grimly. _Only Kyuubi would know._

Chisoku paced.

The image of Naruto's blood red eyes—eyes tainted with Kyuubi's influence—did not leave Chisoku's mind the entire night.

00000

Sweat matted the hair on a tanned forehead. An equally tan hand rose, wiping the moisture away. Eyes closed; the breath fanned out from slightly swollen lips that were twisted into a smile. A sigh left tired lungs, followed by more unsteady breathing. Lids opened, gazing at the petite form in front of them.

Eyes sparkled, and a wicked gleam jumped into the black orbs. Lips twisted sadistically, surveying the damage done. Blood burned in the base of his stomach; it always did that to him when he studied the results of his cruelty. It gave him a warped sense of pride to see the girl's eyes shut in pain, her breathing erratic and uncontrolled. Bruises had not yet formed, but they would. He knew the pain he had inflicted: a broken leg and arm, pulled muscle, fractured hip—that one especially pleased him.

An evil chuckle filled the silence. It had been fun pounding into the girl, making her feel pain. It excited him to no end, but then again, that was one of the reasons that he had been chosen for this job, for this position. It never failed to give him pleasure as he exerted his dominance over so delicate a sex.

"Samanji!"

A wry laugh left the man's lips, but he didn't answer the call. She would come to him. It was only a matter of time. She could survey his handiwork, too, but she was never one for this sort of thing. She enjoyed seeing the pain during extraction.

"Samanji!" The call was louder, but he remained silent and quickly threw on some pants. This woman always seemed to catch him at the wrong time. He never had time to simply marvel in the pleasure, and maybe go for another round. Being a shinobi did have its pros.

The door burst open, startling the broken girl on the bed out of whatever stupor had consumed her. Samanji smiled as she trembled in fear. Her breathing raged out of control, and he looked at her sweaty, unclothed figure. Not the best, but certainly one of his best conquests yet. She had resisted—that had to be the best feeling ever: conquering even though one resisted. Dark brown hair was matted and spread around the pillow.

"Samanji!"

He turned, resting his brightened eyes on a slim figure. Green eyes flashed with anger, bits of black hair slipping across her shoulders as she placed her hands on her hips. The bright pink scarf around her neck waved in the breeze she created, her black button-up, knee-length coat following suit. He smiled, looking back at the brown-haired girl.

The black haired woman snorted. "We know you have your quirks, Samanji, but answer me when I call you! The boss could have something important to say, and you're busy preparing a victim for extraction."

"But my work helps. It makes your work to complete the extraction without them struggling much easier." Samanji smiled wickedly. "Doesn't it, Izanami?"

Izanami waved her hand in front of her face, brushing off Samanji's comment. "Ano… Whatever. However, the boss did have something to say, and you weren't there." The green-eyed woman smiled as she saw a flash of worry in Samanji's eyes.

Out of all the kunoichi he met, the boss was the only one he truly feared. He respected Izanami in her own right; she was tough and would not let anyone take advantage of her. He had tried once, and had learned his lesson. But he simply respected her; she had taken a beating from their fighting, too.

The boss was a woman that made him truly uneasy. She could create a mask of innocence and goodness at any moment, and she was one of the fiercest women he knew. He had learned never to cross her. She had liked him for his distorted ways, but when he had tried them on her… It hadn't been pretty. He had almost gotten killed, and she walked away with nothing save a few scratches and one major cut.

"What did she say?"

Izanami smiled. "She said that word has spread that there is a kunoichi in Amegakure. Sources say that she is an excellent medical ninja." A pale finger twirled a piece of hair fitted in an up-do.

Samanji smiled. "And it's my job to catch her."

"Hai," Izanami sighed indifferently. "You are to travel to the Rain Village as soon as the boss sees fit. She will contact us when she believes we are ready and everything has been prepared." Green eyes flicked from the girl on the bed to Samanji. "Are you done with her?"

When Samanji nodded, Izanami laughed. "Good. Time to extract some chakra."

00000

**A/N:** Seventeen pages. A nice length for a chapter, I say. Well, what do you guys think? I was a little nervous about the end of the chapter, but I think it's all right for the most part. Let me know what you think!

- wolf's paradise


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hello. It's been a while since I updated, huh? Well, school's _finally_ out, and I'm no longer in high school! I'm excited. Okay, so here's chapter eight of _Lost in the Rain_. This was a _long_ chapter. Twenty-eight pages pure story. Can you believe it? I couldn't. This is about as long as one of my one-shots, which I find kinda funny. The more I write, the longer my chapters seem to get.

So, I'm pretty sure I still have enough room for a shout-out to all my wonderful reviewers!

Runeballa88: Haha! Don't worry. I'm not stopping this story! I am hoping to at least finish the rough draft of all the chapters (hopefully) by the end of the summer, even if updates will be twice or once a month. I am very happy that you like this story and consider Naruto's personality as kind of an "alternate" road. I mean, I know that Naruto being Naruto usually bounces back, but there's always that "what if" factor, you know? So, I tried not to make him way OOC, and knowing him, given the right people and the right situations to influence him, he would bounce back.

xAZNxRiceBoy: Oh yeah. They're definitely making steroids. Haha! That was a good one, though. Unfortunately, it is _not_ steroids. If only it were that easy…

aej1085: Well, I'm very glad you like the story and the interaction! I try very hard to make them believable and to keep to their normal personalities.

spazzgirl: Well, thanks! I decided to at least throw some action in there, or at least a way that I thought one might attain control of an element. Not too many people (so far that I've seen) have delved into the mechanics of it, so I thought it'd be cool if I did.

ManiMan: I appreciate the complement on the story! I do have something special planned for the end, and hopefully it won't really be what everyone expects, or at least, the part that you were worried about. I think you'd like it, though. And being German is cool.

wolfwood121: I'm glad you like the plot and interaction as well! I try to make a good balance between angst and "romance" in this story, since stories that are too angsty get really boring after a while.

zaisuro: Well, you know I wasn't specifically talking to you, but I just really like hearing feedback, even if you don't have too much to say.

EarthBorn0: Ah, the vanquishing of Pein… Well, I think I mention it in later parts of the story, but it was basically a group effort (in this story). Not one person was solely responsible for Pein's defeat, though Naruto did administer the killing blow. Still, he wouldn't have been able to had it not been for everyone else. And no, Naruto does not have sage mode in this story. He'd be too strong, especially for what I have planned, and I really don't want him turning into a gary-stu.

Cecixx19: Yay! You were the first to review, and I will say that it was exciting! I was very happy that you had reviewed so fast, and there's even more info on Naruto and Sakura and the ANBU (er… okay, so not too much, but still a little!) and their role in it!

Hmm. That was a pretty long shout-out. I might have to simply start replying to reviews now. Huh, never had to do that before… But I'll stop talking and let you guys get to the story! Enjoy! (Again, a special thanks to arianawithlove and believeit6 for their awesome editing jobs and helping me to keep on track!)

* * *

Chapter Eight

* * *

Haruno Sakura bit her bottom lip. Of course, the moment she started thinking of Naruto's birthday, things had to go wrong. She had been making a simple statement, just wondering if there was anything he might want. She had never seen Naruto so sad and angry at the same time. Worst yet, they had yelled at each other. She was sure that the other shinobi and kunoichi had heard their fight; after all, Sakura had almost broken a wall, Naruto had almost crushed the dresser, and they had almost hurt each other.

Naruto hadn't talked to her the entire week. It was the dawn of his birthday, and it just so happened that it was Saturday and they did not have to take their classes. The blonde was already gone from the room, out somewhere around the village. Sakura was slightly glad that he was gone, but she was a little hurt. All she had wanted was to maybe give him a present to show that she remembered.

Of course, it wouldn't happen like it should. His angry words had cut and burned, accusing her of things that weren't even remotely true. She knew it wasn't quite Naruto's fault, though. From what he had said, he certainly hated even the mere mention of his birthday, and Sakura knew why. She hadn't really thought about it much, and it was something she liked to forget, but Naruto himself had caused her to remember.

Sakura sighed heavily. She supposed that it would be good to offer her services to the hospital. It was a nice getaway, even if it was tough. She especially liked working with the children that came in to the pediatric section, but her skills were needed with healing more complicated wounds.

Oddly enough, she received pay, even though she had argued that she was merely doing it because she wanted to. The extra income was certainly helpful, even though it was small. She appreciated their gesture of thankfulness.

After rising from her bed, Sakura followed her normal morning routine, exiting the room after an hour's time. It was a nice day again—sunny—and she couldn't help but smile as the morning sun touched her cheeks. It was only eight o'clock, but the sun had already warmed up most of the earth. Feeling strangely elated, Sakura laughed and twirled in the golden light after making sure no one was watching.

00000

_Nice going, kid._

_Ugh, shut up already! I know it was the wrong thing to say._ Naruto couldn't shove the guilty feeling away. He knew that everything he had said was wrong, but he had been upset. His birthday had been approaching, and he had already been in a foul mood after having a run-in with a few of the villagers. Though they didn't know the enormity of power that Naruto carried, they could feel it. Even though they were thankful that Konoha had saved them from Pein, they couldn't help the fear and contempt they felt for Naruto when he came around.

_Part of it's your fault,_ Naruto accused.

_My fault? _Kyuubi scoffed. _Yeah, right, Twerp! I'm not the one that came to me begging for use of my chakra. Now that you channel it to your eyes and ears, people feel the effect of my chakra. It doesn't bother you because you're used to it._

_I did _not_ beg to use your chakra. _You_ suggested it because _you_ wanted to keep an eye out for that fox and make sure he didn't come back,_ Naruto scowled. _Besides, Sakura doesn't seem to mind._

_Are you insane? You've been avoiding her all week! How the hell do you know if she doesn't mind? You're more stupid than I thought, Twerp._

_Hey! I'm not stupid!_

_Then apologize to her!_ Kyuubi shouted. The Twerp was really getting on his nerves._ You know damn well that she doesn't hate you because of me. You know she would never shun you because of me. Isn't sticking with you and being your partner testament enough? If she hated you because of me, or even feared you, do you honestly think she would allow you to touch her, or she would dare touch you?_

_Shut up, Fox!_ Naruto hated it when Kyuubi was right.

_Watch it, Twerp! I will not be taken lightly, and I am not one to commit to petty demands. I will _not_ be quiet until you get it through your thick, stubborn skull that she is different than the villagers, or even most shinobi for that matter. And you know that._

_All right, fine!_ Naruto conceded. _So she is different than the rest! What does that matter?_

_It means that no matter what… she will be your friend, and nothing can change her view on that. Sure, she might see you differently a few times, but that doesn't mean she won't be your friend._

_Kyuubi… _Naruto wished his heart wasn't twisting. _She… I… I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I liked our friendship. It was getting better, and I ruined it, just like I ruin everything else._

Kyuubi sighed wearily. _You don't ruin everything, Naruto. You just need serious lessons on tact and anger management, but a lot of that stems from me._

Naruto was surprised that Kyuubi had actually addressed him by his name. The blonde smiled. _The ever-sarcastic nine-tailed fox, huh?_

_That's right,_ Kyuubi rumbled, a playful note in the deep tenor of his voice. Suddenly, he seemed to grow serious. _But you do know that she might have just wanted to do something for your birthday, right? She actually might have wanted to give you something._

_But why? Why would anyone want to do something for the "demon boy"? You know she's heard people call me that._

_And has she ever stopped being your friend?_

The blonde bit his lip. He knew she was there for him, and had been. He didn't want to be hurt again, and he knew how much the pink-haired girl could hurt him, even if it was unintentional. He had promised Kakashi that he would try to let Sakura in and help him, and he had been doing all right.

He had ruined it, though. The fight at the beginning of the week still raced through his mind, and he knew that there were so many things he shouldn't have said. Today was his birthday of all days, but he had always hated this day. Villagers would come after him or mock him, and celebrate this day as the day that the Yondaime had defeated Kyuubi.

Maybe, if he hadn't ruined his growing relationship with Sakura, he could have had a decent birthday for once. However, he had to screw it up, just like everything else he did.

_Go find her,_ Kyuubi urged softly. _Apologize. I'm sure she'd understand._

Naruto sighed. _But… After all the things I said… I don't deserve her as a friend._

_You deserve something, kid. After everything you've been through, you do deserve something, but moping and complaining about it won't get you anywhere. If you want to have a decent birthday, apologize to the girl._

_Do you think that she'd be more inclined to forgive me if I'm hurt?_ Naruto wondered.

Kyuubi chuckled. _Thinking of apologizing to her as she heals you? What, going to work yourself too hard? Maybe cut up some trees? Let a kage bunshin take a bite out of you?_

_Hmm. Something like that. It'll give her something to look at if she's uncomfortable._

_Well, whatever, kid,_ Kyuubi mumbled.

Naruto nodded, standing to his feet as he made a hand sign. At least one hundred shadow clones surrounded him, and Naruto eyed them. "Try to take me out," he instructed. "And if any trees are in the way, they need to go."

"Hai!" all one hundred clones shouted. Naruto smirked, lowering into a fighting stance as the first round of shadow clones charged.

00000

"Sakura-nee-chan!"

"Ohayo, Masuyo," the pink-haired kunoichi smiled happily. The little boy was in for one of his last treatments. She had to admit that the boy was doing much better than he had been.

"Do I get healed today?" he asked, his black eyes shining in anticipation.

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. But, you have to be very good and stay very still. I don't want to hurt you."

The boy nodded solemnly, looking at Sakura's hand as it glowed green. His eyes went wide, his mind still marveling at the fact that so simple an act could make him feel so much better. Sakura frowned, though. It was hard fixing the hole in his lungs. She wasn't sure what had caused the hole, but she didn't think it was hereditary, either. Still, she fixed her hand above the boy's lung. Some fluid still leaked into the organ, but she could repair it. If she could encourage the cells to regenerate in that area, then it would heal.

She had known that this would take the longest to heal. After she attempted to heal his lung, he wouldn't be able exercise for at least a week, and he would have to stay in the hospital so he could be monitored. Her eyebrows knitted in concentration. She worked on using her chakra as a catalyst to encourage the dormant cells. Her chakra penetrated the walls, reacting the with the cells' chemicals.

A relieved sigh escaped her lips as the cells sprang to life. It would take at least half of the day to heal, but Sakura was confident in her abilities. Since the boy was young, his body could have a better chance of healing itself better than a jounin at age twenty-five, or even thirty. It was much harder to heal older people than it was to heal the children.

However, Sakura found that she enjoyed healing the kids. They were so expressive and almost all of them hated going to the hospital. Many parents—and even kids—were starting to ask for Sakura to be the kunoichi that healed or checked them. The parents had heard that she was the apprentice to the Fire Country's Godaime Hokage, but the kids wanted to see her because of the things that Masuyo had said. He made sure that every one of his friends knew about Sakura.

It created a lot of good business for the hospital, and in turn, Sakura would help the medics learn bits and pieces of the better knowledge that Tsunade had taught her. The medic had long since sent a message to Tsunade about the late night meeting and the permission to aid Amegakure medic ninja.

By the time that Sakura finished healing the hole it was noon. Thankfully, the healing process had only taken four hours. She had been right in thinking that Masuyo's young body would work with her chakra faster than that of an older civilian.

With a sigh of relief, Sakura took her hand and pushed back her damp pink locks. Her green eyes opened and rested on Masuyo's mother. "Takara-san, everything is complete. However, he will have to stay here for a week. I will have to check on him the most, but a few of the other doctors can check on him as well. He is not to do anything remotely strenuous, because that could damage everything that I just patched up."

Takara nodded, eyeing her son with a slightly worried glance. "Will he be all right?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "There was a hole in his lungs, though I'm not too sure why. I have managed to fix it, but if he does any strenuous activities, it could be damaged."

"Thank you so much, Sakura-san," Takara whispered gratefully. "Without you, I wouldn't have my son back."

"You're welcome, Takara-san. I'm just glad that I could help. I have trained so hard to help people, and I couldn't be happier to save a boy like Masuyo." Sakura's green eyes rested on the eight-year-old boy, and he smiled. His eyes sparkled, and his lips parted in a laugh. Sakura laughed, too, and ruffled his hair. "Don't get too cocky now—just because I think you're great."

Masuyo hugged Sakura. "Thanks, Sakura-nee-chan! You're the best!" He buried his head into her stomach as she patted his black hair, wondering how anyone could have hurt such an adorable little boy.

"Now, Masuyo," Sakura started. "I need you to stay here for a week. I just fixed your lung, but it's really delicate, so you have to be very careful with what you do. If you do anything like jumping or playing on the playground, it could hurt you again. So, you need to stay here, okay?"

The boy nodded glumly, but agreed to stay. No doubt Takara would want to stay with her son, and Sakura didn't mind. She quickly briefed the other nurses and doctors about Masuyo's current health, writing a strict feeding and slight exercise schedule. Since his mother would be there, she could make sure he only made a small trip around the village.

A quiet nurse poked her head into Masuyo's room as the nurses and doctors left. Her eyes wavered slightly before finally meeting Sakura's gaze. "Haruno-san, there is a boy downstairs that claims he knows you. He won't let anyone heal him except you, and he says that there is something important he must tell you."

"Who is he?"

"He gave no name."

Sakura heaved a frustrated sigh. "What does he look like?"

The nurse blushed slightly. "Well, he has blond hair, and is wearing a black shirt and orange pants," she listed. Sakura felt her anger simmer. What was Naruto doing in the hospital? There was no reason for him to be here unless he hurt himself, and Sakura's patience shortened as she thought that Naruto must have pushed his training again.

"I'll be down in a minute."

"Hai, Haruno-san," the nurse nodded before leaving.

Sakura rubbed her temples. It was just like Naruto to have an all-out training session. However, she wasn't quite sure why he was at the hospital. Unless it was something major, Naruto didn't normally come in for healing. Kyuubi's chakra healed most of his wounds, and yet… he was here. Sakura groaned, wishing that life really wasn't this complicated. She really didn't want to have another argument.

The heels of her boots clicked on the linoleum floor as Sakura made her way to the second story of the hospital. Naruto's room was near the end of the hall. She slipped the folder from the back of the door, but apparently, what the nurse had said was true. There was only a simple note of "Refuses to be seen by anyone except Dr. Haruno," and that was the extent of the examination that should have been written in the space provided. Sakura figured that the woman was either slightly afraid of Naruto, or was too smitten with him to possibly be able to make a correct examination.

Her fingers slipped through the handle and pulled on the door. It slid back, and her eyes met a very disheveled form. Naruto looked up, his eyes softening slightly as he gazed at Sakura's white-clad frame. Her eyebrows scrunched together, focusing on the paper in front of her. Her green eyes flashed when she looked back at Naruto, and she tapped her pen impatiently on the clipboard.

"Hey," Naruto whispered, hoping that it would sound similar to apology, or at least persuade her to stop looking at him like that.

Sakura didn't reply. Instead, her eyes roved over Naruto's form, taking in the dirty jacket and tattered shirt. His pants were relatively unharmed, but there were scuffmarks on his arms and face. His left shoulder had a large gash splitting the skin, and his whole body looked exhausted.

"Why didn't _he_ heal you?" Sakura asked acidly.

"I… didn't want him to. I wanted you to heal me."

The medic scoffed, and her eyes sharpened. "You're most likely suffering from chakra exhaustion, and that gash on your shoulder is no doubt from a kunai. You've definitely been scuffling around the training grounds… Shadow clones? Let me see… How about fifty? No… no…" Her eyes perused him some more. "One hundred."

Her voice rang with finality, and Naruto couldn't help but nod. How could she read the signs so well? She was, no doubt, a medical ninja, but it still never failed to amaze him how much of his training routines she could see just from his injuries. After reading his nod, Sakura's lips pursed.

The gash on Naruto's shoulder throbbed, and his eyes met hers expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?" she retorted. "If I were afraid of you, I wouldn't exactly want to heal you, now would I? Or touch you? Hmm, maybe…" Sakura knew she was being petty, but she wanted him to understand. She wanted to make him feel uncomfortable, because—damn it—the things he had said _hurt_.

"Look, I…"

"Well, your vitals are fine. Just put some salve on that wound of yours and you'll be good to go, Naruto."

"What? That's it?" Naruto asked, the comment coming out more demanding and sarcastic than he had intended.

"Yes," she hissed acidly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Now go. You're dismissed."

_Don't say anything, Twerp._

Naruto forced himself not to retaliate. It was just… He was here, wasn't he? He was trying, goddamn it, and she didn't seem to get it! He had never been one for apologies. She seemed to know him well. Didn't she know _that?_

"Look, Sakura, I didn't think—"

"That's just the problem, Naruto. You don't think."

He sucked in a breath, willing himself not to get angry. It didn't help that he could feel the anger radiating from her body. "I'm sorry, Sakura."

The pink-haired kunoichi was surprised, but her frustration was starting to get the better of her. "I'm sorry? 'I'm sorry' doesn't cut it, Naruto."

Blue hardened into steel. "Why not? I'm apologizing, aren't I?"

"You don't get it, Naruto! Saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't always fix the problem! You could be apologizing for using a hundred clones to get your training regimen done for all I know!"

"But I'm not!" he protested.

"Then what are you apologizing for?!" Sakura's arms flailed out in the air before slapping to her sides.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but it wouldn't come out. He was sorry for what he had said, but it was so hard to apologize for something that had been carefully ingrained in his mind for years and years. It was an insecurity and a hate that wasn't very easy to get rid of.

"Just what I thought." There was a strange note in Sakura's voice that he couldn't quite place.

He reached out and grabbed Sakura's arm without thinking. "No, Sakura, it's not what you think!"

She whipped her arm from his grasp, not paying attention to the way he flinched from her denial of his touch. She took two steps toward him, her face positively livid with anger.

"Yes, it is what I think! Do you honestly think that I would hate you for something that is out of your control? Do you think so lowly of me to believe that I would stoop to degrading you because it was your birthday and I wanted to rub it in your face?" Sakura knew the words were cutting, but she was on a roll. "Have we been partners all this time only for you to suddenly hurl those accusations at me, saying that I am just like all the other people?"

"No… I—" he protested weakly.

"No, Naruto! I can't believe that you would think that! I can't believe that you would say those things to me when you _know_ they are not true! You know it, and I know it! Would you appreciate it if I called you a liar?" Sakura's voice shook in anger, his cutting voice still echoing in her head.

"_What do you know, Sakura?"_

"_I know—"_

"_Liar! Fucking liar! You did this on purpose, didn't you? You're just like the villagers—all of them! You don't care about anyone but yourself! You hate me because of this demon inside of me! I'm sick of people pretending that I don't even exist, because I do!"_

"_You're wrong, Naruto! You bastard! How dare you accuse me of that! You're so wrong about everything, Naruto! You might have had to deal with that, but I've had to deal with almost as much pain as you have!"_

"_No, you don't get it!"_

"_Yes, I do!"_

"_No, you don't!"_

"_Shut up, Naruto! You don't know a damn about what I might have gone through! I doubt you even care about anyone else! You're just throwing a pity party!"_

"_Pity party? Most people don't even want to be around you, Sakura, because of your uncontrollable temper! Not to mention you just about hit anyone that says a thing against you!"_

"_I do not!"_

"_Yes, you do! How many times did you hit me?!"_

"_That was for good reason! You were being a complete idiot!"_

"_You don't remember those times when Sasuke slighted your attempts at dating him, and you took your frustration and anger out on me? You don't remember that?"_

"_I—"_

"_Don't deny it, Sakura! You know you did!"_

"_But, I—"_

"_Do you know how hard it was for me to still pick myself up after all those things you said to me, after all the things you did to me? That stupid, idiotic grin I had plastered on my face kept everyone from seeing how hurtful your comments really were! No one ever took the time to know me and see how fake those smiles were! But I kept trying! And do you know where that got me? Nowhere. I'm not the monster they call me, Sakura! _You_ are the monster, and I can't stand it, anymore!"_

"_Naruto—"_

"_Get out, Sakura. If you're really as smart as you claim to be, then get out. Use that big forehead of yours for once in your life, and. Get. Out."_

Sakura's hands trembled with anger and hurt. Suddenly, the clipboard she had been holding snapped in two. When Sakura's eyes snapped to his, they held an exorbitant amount of fury and pain, an extent that Naruto had never seen before. When she spoke, her voice came out shaky, icy, and cutting like an arctic wind.

"Would you like it if I called you a _monster_, Naruto?"

Truth be told, he had been waiting for that blow. He winced, but his anger flared. "What was I supposed to do, Sakura? Most people _hate_ me! How can I get rid of that fact so easily? I can't!"

"Then trust in people! Trust that they mean what they say!"

"Do you know how many times I have tried to do that? Those people die, or they break their promises to me! That's happened too many times, and I'm done with it! I'm done with everyone's fake friendships and false promises!"

"What, are you afraid?" Sakura yelled. When his eyes flickered from blue to red and back to blue, Sakura knew that concept grated on Naruto's nerves. "Are you afraid to entrust people with yourself? Are you so afraid and _selfish_ that you shut yourself off from _everything?!_" She was almost screaming now, but Sakura knew she was right.

Naruto's eyes flashed red again. In two strides he was directly in front of her, backing Sakura into the wall behind her. Faster than her eyes could detect, his right hand whizzed past her head and slammed into the wall. The wall shuddered as bits of plaster cracked and fell to the wood floor, and her eyes widened as she glanced furtively at his hand. It was an inch away from her temple.

Red quickly shuddered back to blue, and his eyes widened once he saw what he had done. He took his hand from the wall, looking at it in utter disbelief. His eyes returned to Sakura's shocked ones, and he hurriedly backed away, stumbling over a chair and finally sitting on the end of the hospital bed. His whole body started trembling, almost convulsing.

Sakura's legs couldn't support her body's weight. She slid to the ground, her body quivering in shock. They stared at each other, seeming to take in the full extent of their actions and words.

"Oh, God… Sakura… I'm… I'm _sorry_…" His tortured whisper filled the suddenly too silent room. "I… I don't know why I… Oh, _God_." His eyes seemed drawn to his offensive hand.

Her breath was labored, and for a moment, Sakura could say that she had been truly afraid of Naruto. He would never hit a woman out of anger, and Sakura's confidence in that fact was shaken slightly. He hadn't hit her, but his unexpected action definitely struck a cord in her body. She realized that Naruto had been afraid, and maybe he had been more hurt than she had originally thought.

They were both so wrong about each other.

She stood slowly, carefully, inching her way to Naruto when he suddenly looked at her. His horrified gaze bored into her own shocked eyes, but she tentatively reached out a hand. He flinched, but didn't move away. Her fingertips rested warily on his shoulder, glowing a faint green after a moment. Tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, too, Naruto. I'm sorry." Her voice was soft, cautious.

"No. It's not your fault," he choked. "I… I never should have said that to you. Now look… I almost… I almost hurt you. I… I couldn't live with myself if I ever hit you like that."

Sakura nodded, her voice a little shaky. "I know, Naruto. It's okay. I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have said something that I knew would get you so upset."

A small, genuine, and hopeful smile tugged at the corners of Naruto's lips as he felt Sakura's cool chakra fill his body. "Truce?"

She half-laughed, half-sobbed, and nodded gratefully. "Yes, Naruto. Truce."

They both sighed, and after Naruto was healed, he hung around the room for a moment. "Are you going to be all right?"

"Yes," she nodded, her voice slightly hesitant. Things were still a little awkward between them. "I've got some more patients to tend to. Just… don't go out and nearly kill yourself training, baka."

"Sure. Sure," he nodded, smiling.

They walked out of the room together, a silence settling around them as they walked down the hall and to the first floor's receptionist desk. The atmosphere was calm, but slightly apprehensive. She quickly signed the sheet issuing his release, letting him know everything was good to go. He got to the double doors before turning back.

"I really am sorry."

"I know, Naruto. I know. I'm sorry, too."

He nodded quickly, uncertainly, before hurrying out the doors. Sakura heaved a sigh, letting her head fall into her hands. This had been one hectic week, and Sakura was glad that she no longer had to worry about a very angry and upset Naruto.

The nurse that had alerted her to Naruto's presence earlier spoke up. "You know, you're lucky to know him. He's so… I don't know. Mysterious looking."

Sakura remembered wryly when that had been the only reason she had liked a certain other boy that had seemed "mysterious." The pink-haired medic nin laughed. "You know, I'd suggest getting to know the idiot before you make assumptions about what he's like."

The nurse looked shocked. "He's… He's an idiot?"

"Yeah," Sakura whispered, blinking quickly. "He's an idiot." But there was no hint of anger or disgust in her voice. If anything, the nurse would say that something along the lines of fondness had coated Sakura's soft voice.

00000

Naruto sighed. His shoulders felt immensely light now that he and Sakura had gotten past their argument. His day was looking brighter—at least, it was better than it was this morning. He couldn't get the feeling of her cool chakra out of his mind. There was something so… exciting about the way her chakra tingled through his system. _She's definitely a good medic._

_Looks like you value her friendship more than you let on, Twerp,_ Kyuubi chuckled.

_I— _He couldn't find anything else to say. Kyuubi's words were true. He had been miserable after he and Sakura had fought, and he only just realized how relieved he felt to have her on his side again.

_And you said you don't need friends._

_Well, I— I want to try. What Sakura said was true. I don't give people enough credit._

_You think, Twerp?_

_Hmm._ Naruto walked slowly down the street, a small smile on his face. He really did feel better now that things between him and Sakura had been resolved. Granted, things were not always going to be smooth between them, but he knew that it was the first positive step in becoming better friends.

_You know, Kyuubi, I actually sort of miss the times she would hit me for being an idiot._

_At least we know it worked._

_Huh?_

_You got smarter, didn't you? You weren't really being an idiot anymore, so there really wasn't any reason for her to hit you, Twerp._ Kyuubi scoffed. _Well, I partially forced you to get stronger. I wanted out, and you didn't seem too happy with that idea._

_Can you blame me, Kyuubi? It would have killed us both. Not to mention the fact that you probably would have taken out the whole entire village._

_Maybe, maybe not._

_What's that supposed to mean? You wouldn't destroy Konoha?_

Kyuubi shrugged. _Maybe. Would you?_

Naruto scoffed. "Cryptic bastard," he mumbled.

The demon growled. _Watch it, Twerp._

_Yeah, yeah. It's not like you can do anything to me anyway. You're stuck in a cage. Or… my head, but that's different. You're somehow able to talk to me, and that's not the same as being able to control me._

_We'll see about that,_ Kyuubi threatened.

_Sure, Kyuubi. Sure._

Naruto passed into the outskirts of the village, making his way along the path that led to the Academy. His eyes caught sight of a playground near the front of the Academy. There were three girls and two boys laughing on the swing sets or chasing each other around the slide. Four of the children sported brown hair—a color Naruto guessed was most common in Amegakure. The fifth child, a girl about six or seven, had short caramel hair. Her eyes appeared to be a soft grey, while the other children had chocolate eyes.

He walked past the children, his blue eyes studying them as a brown haired boy chased a squealing girl around the whole playground. The boy's arms were outstretched, and he was laughing as the girl with caramel hair glanced back before running away from him faster. Her small brown skirt flew behind her when the boy grasped onto the back of her cream shirt. She squealed as her flight was halted. Her back crashed into the boy, sending them both backwards into the sand. They laughed as they shakily stood.

The blonde leaned against the tree, sapphire eyes sparkling with mixed emotions. He saw that many of these children had something that he never had. They had playmates, acceptance, and happiness. He hadn't been able to experience that in his younger years. Granted, he, Chouji, Shikamaru, and Kiba would often sneak out of class when Iruka wasn't looking. Then, the four of them would play together until Iruka came to disrupt their fun. Something must have been said, for when they all turned eleven, the outings stopped. He was the only one to continue skipping class.

Briefly, Naruto wondered what the children's names were. Would all the kids grow up to be strong shinobi and kunoichi? He hoped so. He hoped that they would be trained well and know what the most important thing to a shinobi was. The shinobi of Konoha almost always went by the rule to protect precious people, but not too many other villages had followed suit. Suna had, but the others were still in the process of changing.

Three boys made their way toward the playground. Naruto recognized them as three of the Rain Village ninja that attended the classes he did. The one at the front, the one Naruto supposed was the leader, was the same build as Naruto. The two ninja behind him, however, were larger built than Naruto. They all had brown hair, and while the leader's hair was short but spiky, the other two ninja's hair was a little longer and a bit wilder.

The leader walked up to the playground, and all the children stopped playing. The girl with caramel hair and the brown-haired boy were closest to them. She looked up, and Naruto saw her grey eyes sparkle with recognition.

"Hisashi," she said breathlessly. "I… I've got something for you." She turned to get something from a pocket in her skirt, but the boy's hand flashed, grasping onto the small girl's thin wrist. She gasped, and her eyes turned to him. It was hard for Naruto to see her expression.

"Why didn't you give it to me before?" the boy seethed. The girl's eyes flickered to each of the three boys. She seemed shocked.

"Yes," the boy continued. "I saw you make that money. You made it yesterday." His grip visibly tightened, and the girl gasped. Her eyes shut in pain.

"Hisashi," she whimpered. "Please. That hurts…"

"I'll make it hurt even worse! Where is that money?"

"I… I…" the girl seemed hesitant to say. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he heard the girl's stuttering. He wanted to help, but… This didn't concern him.

The boy's grip tightened. The girl worriedly flicked her eyes at her friends, but they were all on the opposite side of the playground, ready to flee if things got worse. She looked up at Hisashi and gulped.

"I was hungry."

Naruto barely heard the whisper, and his chest tightened.

Hisashi's hand let go of the girl's wrist, only to whip it across her face. She cried out in pain as the force of the blow sent her to the playground's sand. Naruto's body tensed when Hisashi bent down and pulled the girl to her feet. His large hand harshly clasped her chin.

"You… were… hungry?" Hisashi said slowly.

The girl nodded. "But I got you something else!" she cried frantically. Her hand quickly pulled a small little doll, obviously something that she treasured. It was worn and ratty in a few places, but her hands trembled as she held out the doll to Hisashi. "I figured that since I took your money for food, I'd give you my doll."

The large hand slowly lowered from the girl's face and took the doll. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, flames licked from Hisashi's hand and the doll crumbled into ashes. The girl gasped, bending down to pick up the few remaining pieces of the doll that she had loved. Naruto's hands clenched as he recognized the desperation in her eyes. This scene was getting to be too familiar.

"I don't want your doll!" Hisashi yelled suddenly. The girl fell back, fear lighting her eyes as Hisashi got closer. "I send you out there to get money for me, not to feed yourself!" His other hand came down, slapping the girl across the face before his fist connected with her side.

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in pain, but no sound came out.

"You idiot of a sister! When I say bring me money, that's what I mean! Don't go against me!"

Naruto couldn't take anymore. He couldn't stand back and watch a helpless little girl get beaten! His feet moved, and he thrust chakra to his legs. He spread his arms wide, appearing in front of the girl as Hisashi's fist came down. Naruto fell under the force of the blow, but his hands hit the sand, muscles in his arms straining as they labored to keep his weight from crushing the girl underneath him. Hisashi looked at Naruto in surprise before a smirk crossed his face.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Konoha ninja with wind chakra. I bet your wind couldn't even touch my fire."

Naruto didn't speak. He rose, pushing Hisashi back a little. The blonde didn't bother hiding the hatred he felt. He stood in front of the little girl, her tiny sobs reaching his attuned ears. "Don't touch her again," Naruto seethed.

Hisashi laughed. "Are you going to stop me?"

Naruto felt the heat before he really knew what was going on. He ducked, slamming his fist into Hisashi's stomach before closing his hand around the brown-haired chuunin's throat. Hisashi gasped, choking for air when Naruto's fist tightened.

"How does it feel… to have the same thing done to you?" Naruto asked. He remained silent for a while, letting the brown haired chuunin struggle for air. "Don't come near that girl again."

"Whatever, bastard. I can do what I want with that girl, and you won't even be able to stop me."

Anger rose in Naruto's chest. Hisashi's breathing was suddenly louder; more smells assaulted Naruto's nose, especially the smell of blood that pulsed beneath Hisashi's skin. _No, no! Kyuubi, no! Stop it!_

_He will not take us lightly! I will not allow him to harm that girl!_

_Kyuubi, stop it!_ Naruto cried. He could feel his eyes trembling between blue and red, and he fought against the onslaught of chakra that coursed through his blood. He was aware of everything, not just the offending chuunin in front of him. Naruto gritted his teeth, forcing the chakra to stop flowing to his mouth and hands. Nobody could know about Kyuubi.

"Touch that girl _again_, and I _will_ rip your throat out." Naruto's voice was guttural, deeper, a double note to the tone that left no room for argument. Naruto fought to keep the chakra from consuming him.

_Damn fox, stop it! Stop it!_

Kyuubi growled, the sound slipping from Naruto's throat. He grunted before shoving the fox to the back of his mind, pushing back his chakra with his hands. Slowly, the chakra disappeared. Naruto felt the pulse of power subside, but he didn't allow himself any relief. This was just what Tsunade had been afraid of, and he couldn't prove her right.

"Get out," Naruto hissed. His voice was back to normal, and the second he let go of Hisashi's throat, the chuunin backed away. His eyes were fearful, as were the two chuunin beside him. They had never felt anger so evil and caustic. Hisashi and the two boys ran off, leaving the sobbing girl in the sand.

Naruto's anger steadily subsided, and he slowly turned to the caramel-haired girl, carefully bending his knees to sit on his heels. A hand reached forward tentatively, almost afraid to touch the girl. Naruto's hand stopped before he set his lips and gently touched her shoulder. The girl gasped and moved away, her large smoky-grey eyes widening in fear.

Blue eyes tightened. "Are you all right?" Naruto's voice was strained, body language tense as memories slipped through his mind. "Are you all right?" he asked again.

Tears streaked down red-splotched cheeks. The girl shook her head, her voice breaking as it came out in a tiny whisper. "My… My wrist hurts. And… And my side. It hurts, too."

"Come here," Naruto said softly.

The girl sucked in a breath, shaking her head furiously and backing away a step. "N-no!" she stuttered. "It'll hurt! Hisashi… if he finds out, I'll be in trouble! He'll… He'll hurt me! He'll… hurt… me… It'll… _hurt_…"

A ragged breath shuddered from Naruto's chest. He knew… He knew just what this girl was talking about. "What is your name?" he asked. When she hesitated, and her eyes nervously flicked away from him, he carefully placed both hands on her tiny shoulders. "Tell me," he urged.

"K-Kaori," she stammered.

The fear in her eyes tore at Naruto's heart. Blue stared straight into grey. "Kaori, Hisashi won't hurt you again. I'm going to make sure that he never hurts you again." Naruto paused for a moment. "Do you trust me?"

She hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding her head. Naruto's hands slipped under her armpits, lifting her off of the ground. His large arms wrapped around her tiny frame, holding her close to his chest as her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively. Slowly, her hands fisted the cotton of his shirt, and Naruto felt a wet patch on his right shoulder.

"What is your name?" she whispered.

"My name is Naruto," he said softly. He felt her nod.

"Thank you… Naruto-san."

Naruto's hands tightened around her, and her fists tugged on his shirt as she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. Naruto wasn't quite sure what to do. He had usually stayed away from girls when they became sentimental, but he knew this girl needed some sort of comfort. However, he wasn't too sure how to give it to her. He had never been given any comfort when he was young, and no one ever did that sort of thing even when he grew older.

_Sakura_. Naruto pressed his lips as the name popped into his mind. She would know what to do. She took care of children in the hospital all the time. She would understand what this girl needed.

The blonde walked back into the academy, hurrying up the steps as the girl continued to wail. His ears rang as her cries cut through his sensitive hearing. Though not using the fox's chakra, Naruto could still feel Kyuubi's presence, the demon on alert for anything else that might harm the girl. For that precaution, the fox had enhanced Naruto's hearing.

He carefully opened the door while holding Kaori. When Naruto stepped into the room, he saw the anger in Sakura's green eyes. However, her anger was short lived once she laid eyes on the sobbing girl in Naruto's arms. Sakura quickly stood, advancing toward Naruto, only to stop when the girl cried even louder.

"Help," Naruto pleaded. Sakura nodded, but when her arms reached toward the girl, she clung to Naruto's shirt.

"No! Naruto-san, please!"

"It's all right, Kaori. Sakura is my friend. She wants to help you, too," Naruto whispered, hoping Kaori would believe him. She sniffled.

"She's a friend?"

"Yes, Kaori."

"A-All r-right," she whispered hesitantly. Kaori allowed Naruto to push her off of him and hand her to Sakura. Sakura cradled the girl in her arms, and Kaori sniffled again, tears falling silently onto the pink-haired medic's shoulder.

"Shh. It's all right. Your name is Kaori, right? That's a beautiful name, Kaori. It's okay, sweetie. It's all right. Naruto and I won't let anything happen to you."

At that last sentence, the girl's sobs continued. These were more subdued, but Sakura still stroked the girl's back, sifting her fingers through shoulder-length caramel hair. Sakura muttered short nonsense to the girl, words that were simply meant to calm Kaori down. Sakura looked over at Naruto and mouthed, _What happened to her?_

Naruto shrugged, a trademark response that meant he would explain later. Sakura ignored her blond teammate sitting across from her, focusing on calming the tension laced throughout Kaori's body. Her fingers gently pressed chakra into the girl's tenketsu as Sakura rocked her back and forth. The medic could only imagine what had happened to this little girl to make her cry like this. Kaori was as cute as little kids got. Though her short caramel hair was stringy and Sakura could tell Kaori probably hadn't gotten a bath recently, the girl's grey eyes were the most alive things in her body. Sakura could see everything in Kaori's eyes, though she had yet to see how excited her eyes would be if she were happy.

Sakura glanced up as Naruto wordlessly exited their room. His eyes were troubled, but the pink-haired medic couldn't do anything yet. Kaori was just beginning to settle, and Sakura had to pull this little girl together before she could fix Naruto. She felt a growl in the back of her throat. Did she have to fix everything? She had to fix Naruto when he had injured himself; she had to fix the hundreds of injured shinobi that filtered into the hospital every day; she slowly helped Naruto after Jiraiya's death—even though Naruto still hadn't gotten over that completely; she was comforting this little girl because Naruto didn't know how; and she had to fix Naruto now that something else was wrong with him.

Yet Sakura wasn't complaining, and couldn't blame Naruto. His life had been more difficult than any other shinobi his age, save for Sasuke. Both had been orphans, but Naruto had been forced to deal with the hatred of village on his shoulders. Sakura understood why they would hate such a being as the Kyuubi, especially since the demon had almost demolished Konoha, but she could never figure out why their minds couldn't see the difference between Naruto and Kyuubi. Naruto was nothing like his prisoner.

Kaori's sobs subsided, and eventually stopped altogether. Sakura gazed at the girl, grey eyes closed and mouth parted slightly because she had cried herself to sleep. The medic smiled softly, continuing to gently rock the girl back and forth. Sakura stood carefully, wary not to jostle Kaori until she had safely tucked the girl into the medic's own bed. Sakura smiled as she gave Kaori a small kiss on her pale forehead.

The pink-haired medic quietly exited the room, running down the stairs and out of the Academy once she was sure that Kaori wouldn't hear. Sakura couldn't find Naruto in the front of the Academy, so she hurried around to the back. Naruto was leaning against a tall oak a good thousand feet from the Academy. Sakura sighed, slowly walking up to Naruto.

"Why'd you leave the room?" she blurted. Sakura hadn't meant for the question to be so blunt, or for the question to slip out of her mouth at all.

Naruto shrugged, not wanting to state his reason. He really was too embarrassed to say. Something strange had stirred in his chest when he had watched Sakura hold Kaori. It was something…

Sakura scoffed. "I don't buy it." She stood in front of Naruto, hands slipping from her hips as she kneeled to his level. "Tell me, Naruto," she said, her voice softer. It was her job to help people, to heal them, and right now her teammate needed her.

The words slipped from Naruto's lips before he could stop them. "I was jealous." He hurried to explain. "No one ever wanted to sympathize with me, nor did they care if I cried. You were giving Kaori something that I never had, but wanted." Naruto didn't want to elaborate on that. It was mostly true, but he couldn't deny that one part of him wished that Sakura could hold him like that now.

Soft pink lips pressed into a grim line. "Naruto, I…" But Sakura couldn't find the right words to say. So, she settled for sitting next to the blonde. She fiddled with something in her hands, but the minute Naruto's blue eyes took interest, she snatched her hands away from his sight. She clicked her tongue.

"What?" Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"You'll see soon. But not yet."

Naruto shook his head. How did she do it? Before, it had been a serious and tense atmosphere. Somehow, Sakura had made the conversation comfortable again, and for that he was grateful. She never seemed to press him for anything unless he was ready to tell her. It was the same with tonight, and he was glad that she never seemed to let him dwell on bad memories.

Sakura let out a soft sigh as the back of her head hit the tree. "I still can't believe what's in the Bingo Book. I didn't think that they would actually put in that little bit of genjutsu…"

Her teammate nodded. "Or my claws."

"You know, I still can't believe that Tsunade did that."

"Has baa-chan done it for anyone else?"

A pale finger came to rest on pink lips. "I'm not sure. I think she's done that for Kurenai's team. There have been some ANBU that henge to look like them, but use genjutsu to make the enemies think that they are being attacked by Shino's bugs or Kiba and Akamaru's Gatsuga." Sakura chuckled slightly. "I guess we should be glad Tsunade-shishou is spreading our reputation."

"By making ANBU look like us when they do a mission?" Naruto scoffed. "I'd rather do it myself."

"Well," Sakura shrugged, "We can't all win. Besides, that one little genjutsu trick is the only one I can do. She must have certain genjutsu specialists in ANBU that pretend to be us. I'd rather do the mission myself, too, but we're not ANBU. I mean, we still get popularity from the missions that we actually perform, but the ANBU take on higher missions that really cause people to notice us."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound disappointed about it."

The medic squirmed slightly, unsure if she should speak what was on her mind or not. Being the straightforward kunoichi she was, Sakura decided to speak. "I'm not sure if I really want to go into ANBU. I mean, I've seen how they live…"

"Bad conditions for a temperamental girl like you?" Naruto teased.

Sakura sighed. "No, I mean that…" She pulled away from the tree and scooted to her side so she faced her teammate. "Naruto, they lived with _everyone_. There were just hammocks with code names… I doubt they are ever called by their real name. They are always on call, and they barely talk to anyone. I was there when shishou was organizing a few teams."

"And?" Naruto urged after she had been silent for a while.

"They just… They were like robots, Naruto. They would be doing nothing but lying in their hammock one moment, and the second they hear their code name, they are right in front of shishou. They take orders… even it's to kill someone they don't even know… and they… they do it, and feel nothing."

"We do that, too, Sakura," Naruto said softly.

She vigorously shook her head. "No, we don't," she said firmly. "We are not ordered to kill like that."

"But we have killed."

"It's not the same!" She was frustrated now. To control her temper, Sakura sucked in a long breath of air before releasing it. "We have missions to protect, to help, to capture. Our missions are never simply to kill because we are ordered. If comes down to it, and shinobi threaten the teammates and the success of the mission, then we do have to kill the enemy. But we are never ordered to kill just because a certain person must be disposed."

Naruto was silent. "So…" he started after a long pause. "Is that why you don't want to become ANBU?"

She paused for a moment. "Well, I don't want to be a simple killing machine, and I'm afraid of some of those jobs that are required of an ANBU. I don't want to be as unfeeling as they are, like Sai had been when we met him."

A small sound escaped from Naruto's throat, but it was the only noise to alert the kunoichi that he had agreed with what she said. She furtively glanced at him every now and then, her thoughts flickering back and forth.

_Tell him._ Sakura jumped slightly. It was her inner. She would only show herself every now and then, and it was usually when Sakura needed a push. Still, there were those instants where her inner would comment unnecessarily, but that was another story.

_I don't think he'll like it. I don't want to bring up those memories…_

_He deserves to know_, her inner said quietly. Sakura sighed, leaning back against the tree and feeling the bark poke into her skull.

"They beat you, didn't they?" she whispered.

Naruto was too shocked to say anything. Maybe he hadn't been right in his previous judgment about her. But he wasn't interested in that fact. "How did you know that?" They were the only words that escaped his throat in a hoarse whisper. How had she known that?

She didn't seem to want to answer the question. She hesitated, finally letting the words slip from her lips. Her voice, however, was still calm and soft, soothing even. "I watched one time."

Her words stung even more than he thought possible. How could she have done that? How could she have sat back and _watched_ villagers beat him?

She seemed to hear his burning question. "I was only eight at the time. I had sneaked over to Ino's house to sleepover without my parent's consent. Mrs. Yamanaka had called my mother, making sure it was all right for me to stay. Of course, my mother said no, so I was walking the streets alone at night. Our village was safe; my mother wasn't worried. Then, I heard a scream, a plea for help, so I rushed over to see."

Naruto felt his ears redden. He remembered screaming for help quite a few times, and he remembered knowing that no one had come to help. But the fact that Sakura had heard him scream was somehow embarrassing.

"It was you," she continued. "I recognized your blond hair. I only watched for a moment or so. I was completely horrified, so I hurried back home, telling my mother that you were getting beaten. I grabbed her hand and made her follow me, but she didn't really believe me. She thought better of the villagers. But by the time I got to the place where I had seen you, you were gone. My mother saw that as even more incentive for me to get home and stop having fantasies, if you could call that a "good" fantasy if you imagine people beating a friend. I wanted to go see you the next day, but my dad had things planned."

Sakura sighed heavily, and then looked into Naruto's eyes. For once, the pain and fear and rejection and anger were completely unmasked.

"You know, Naruto, my mother never hated you. She was just so sure that villagers would never harm eight-year-old boys like that. My dad… He's apprehensive. I've heard him tell stories about my uncle Hajime. Kyuubi killed Hajime, my father's last living blood relative. He still knew that you weren't anything like Kyuubi, but now… he's still a little unsure. I tried to see you after that incident, but my dad was afraid that if I was caught around you, the same thing might happen to me."

Naruto tore his gaze away from Sakura. His sight flickered to numerous places, never content to settle on one image. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. To know that neither of Sakura's parents truly hated him, and it was only for fear of his daughter's life that Sakura's father had taken her away from the blonde a few times was a relief. Still…

_She's attentive; I'll give her that._

_Shut up, Fox._

_Are you going to believe her? Or will you stick with what you think: that everyone in the village hated you?_ Kyuubi argued. Naruto gritted his teeth, knowing Kyuubi was somehow right. He did believe Sakura, even if the idea of her possibly watching him get beaten was repulsive. Still, she had gone to get help. She hadn't enjoyed it at all. He turned back to Sakura only to see her lean in close to him, only about five inches away from his face.

"Naruto…" she whispered. She was so close now he could smell the cherry of her shampoo. "Is that why I felt Kyuubi's chakra for a split second? Is that why you reacted so forcefully against whoever had beaten Kaori—because you had been beaten, too?"

"S-Sakura…" he stammered. "How…?"

"I ran a scan of chakra over her body," Sakura muttered. "Kaori had multiple injuries, and a little bit of internal bleeding. It's all right; she's healed. She had old injuries, too—ones that hadn't completely healed. From the pattern and angles of her bruises and fractures, she was harmed by a ninja, possibly our age or older."

Four fists clenched. Sakura was the first to speak. "How anyone can do that to something so small… so precious… I just… Ugh, it sickens me."

"I know," Naruto agreed in a choked whisper. There was a tense pause between the two.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." Sakura's head was down and her eyes were brimming with tears. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry, but it wasn't working. She felt awful for making Naruto relive a beating; she could see the pain of remembrance in his eyes, and the new thought that she had even seen it once.

"Damn it," she whispered, wiping away a stray tear. "I came out here to help. You looked upset, and I wanted to help, but I… I have to go and ruin everything. I have to make you relive…"

"Sakura." Naruto's voice was firm as his hands rested on Sakura's shoulders, turning her toward him. "Sakura, look at me." Though hesitant at first, Sakura finally obeyed. Naruto's gaze bored into hers. "Sakura, just knowing that you tried to get help is enough for me. To know that your parents never hated me like other villagers did is enough for me. Knowing that you want to help… I appreciate it. I will never forget how you stayed my teammate through everything. Do you understand? You are more valuable to me than any other person I have known."

She nodded slightly, but tears silently slipped down her cheeks. Did she really mean that much to him? She knew it was hard for him to say something like that. She knew it was hard for him to get past the mask that he had worked so hard to build. It wasn't something that would come down easily, but little by little, Sakura was chipping away the edges of his guard.

"You're important to me, too, Naruto," she said quietly. "Of course I would never leave you; you're my teammate. We've both been through Sasuke's defection. That's not something many Konoha shinobi can relate to. I… You understand what it's like. You understand the statement, 'If I had just tried harder…' Oh, Naruto! I've made so many mistakes!" Sakura buried her head in her hands, leaving Naruto unsure as to what to do. He had seen the way Sakura had comforted Kaori; should he do the same for Sakura?

"Sakura… what mistakes?" Naruto asked instead. For once, Sakura's strong façade was down, if only for a moment. He didn't know how long her vulnerability would last, but they were both vulnerable to each other at the moment.

"If I had tried harder, Naruto, then maybe I could have convinced him to stay. If I hadn't been such a stupid, _stupid_ girl and paid attention to more important things other than winning his affection, then maybe… If I had been stronger, you and I could have brought him back those three years ago. We wouldn't have suffered. You wouldn't have needed to go through that! If I…"

"Sakura, stop it!" Naruto knew that Sakura had been suffering, but he never thought it was like this. He always thought it was a heart issue.

"No, Naruto! He's my friend! I can't turn my back on my friends! I made a promise! I want him to come back because he's our _friend_! I was so stupid back then—"

"No, Sakura! You were never stupid!"

"I miss him. I miss hanging out together as a full team. I miss the times when I was surprised how mature you were acting as we sat around the training grounds, laughing and playing, or when we tried to take off Kakashi's mask. I _miss_ those times when I had two of my best friends surrounding me, finally accepting me even if I was the smart girl. But things… things are so complicated now. I hardly know you. I try to be a good friend, but I just can't figure you out."

_Well, kid, for saying she doesn't know you at all, it sure seems like she knows you more than either of you think._

Naruto ignored Kyuubi's annoying voice. "I miss Sasuke, too, Sakura. I miss those fun times, too." And Naruto did. He really missed having fun with Sakura and Sasuke as his teammates. "But now reality has disillusioned us, huh? We've all seen those shinobi that say life is never easy, but we never realize it until it happens to us. Sasuke's defection was only the beginning."

Sakura nodded. "Like killing. Sasori was the first person I ever killed."

_I never let my guard down since_. Naruto could hear those words echo at the end of her sentence, even if she hadn't said them. Naruto hadn't let his guard down either after his first kill on his training trip with Jiraiya. No one had noticed a difference in the alternate personality he exhibited, though.

Neither spoke for a long while. Sakura leaned back onto the tree, suddenly very aware of how tired she was. Her half-lidded eyes gazed at the stars before she pointed a finger at the sparkling night sky. "Look, Naruto," she murmured, eager to stray from the depressing topic that was Sasuke and reality. "It's the constellation Ikkakujyuu, the unicorn. See his head? And the horn?"

"Yeah," Naruto muttered, gazing longingly at the stars above him. He wished he could be up there, free of the pain that clutched his heart. However, it wasn't as bad now. Talking with Sakura and admitting a few things had made him feel freer, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was slightly relieved that Sakura had admitted to him that she didn't love Sasuke anymore, at least that's how it seemed to Naruto.

Sakura still amazed him. Her voice betrayed how tired she was, but she still hadn't moved or complained. They had somehow gotten very close to each other as they had been talking, but she hadn't moved an inch. The right side of her body was still touching his left side. He couldn't deny that it felt… nice. It felt nice to have someone near him that wasn't afraid, that was the only person in whom he could truly confide.

A small weight shifted to his shoulder, and Naruto glanced beside him in surprise. His expression softened, however, when he saw Sakura's tired green eyes closed, her head resting on his left shoulder as short pink hair draped across her face. His stomach flipped, unused to the contact. It wasn't that he minded; no one ever trusted him enough to relax completely, and yet Sakura had been relaxed enough to fall asleep against his shoulder.

Naruto's gaze wandered to her hands. One was in a relaxed fist around an object, and Naruto caught a quick glint of metal as the moonlight reflected off of the shiny surface. Unable to quell his curiosity, Naruto reached over to take the object from Sakura's hand, careful not to jostle her head so she would wake. His breath caught in his throat as he gazed at the small pendant. It wasn't very big—just a little shorter and wider than the jewel Tsunade had given him. This pendant, however, was in the shape of a fox. The detail was finely etched into the metal, but it was the note he had found with the pendent that had his mind reeling.

_Naruto,_ she had written. _I know you might not like foxes because of what resides inside of you, but I think this pendant matches you, even if it is a fox. The fox is known for many things; among them, I picked these: cleverness, stealth, persistence, gentleness, wildness, protection, trickster, and possessor of great magic._

_- Cleverness: though you used to act foolish (and still do), I was never more proud to be on your team than when you proved how clever you were._

_- Stealth: remember when you were horrible at it? Kakashi-sensei was so mad that you were such a klutz, and I was, too. But look at your stealth abilities now…_

_- Persistence: it doesn't matter what has come your way, Naruto. You have always been persistent, and you were never one to give up and quit._

_- Gentleness: it doesn't matter that people think you're a demon. You have a kindness buried deep within you that cares for everyone, even an enemy._

_- Wildness: you're untamable. And yet, no one could ever be as wild, but at the same time as grounded as you are. _

_- Protection: you have always been there to protect me, and Tsunade-shishou, and Kakashi-sensei, and all your friends._

_- Trickster: how many times did Iruka punish you for ditching? Or playing tricks? I've lost count. But that's all right. I had too much fun watching the teachers' and Hokage's reaction when you pulled a master prank._

_- Possessor of great magic: it doesn't have to be something big, Naruto. Just being you, and showing people that things really could work out is magic. You have transformed some of the bitterest people, and have inspired them to become better. I consider that magic._

_Naruto, just because Kyuubi is your prisoner doesn't mean you are anything like him. It doesn't mean that you should be ashamed of a fox symbol, either. Happy birthday, Naruto. I hope you like what I got you. It's a gift—something that I hope will always remind you of good things that can happen. There is good and bad in every symbol, and you are no different. But… I think that makes you who you are._

He was dumbstruck. Sakura really did know him almost better than he knew himself. She was insane to think that she simply couldn't figure him out. Her words had brought back so many memories, so many things he had forgotten. He was glad he had a friend like her, and for once, he was happy he had been assigned this mission. As of now, he was closer to Sakura than he had ever been before.

"Thank you… Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured, his hand tentatively caressing the soft skin of her cheek. She would never know how much the simple birthday gift had meant to him.

"Come on, Sakura-chan. We need to get to bed. Kaori needs us," he whispered, moving gently before sweeping her off the ground and into his arms. Her head rested against his chest, and she sucked in a breath. Naruto feared she might be awake as her hand fisted in his shirt, but when her eyes stayed closed and nothing happened, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and teleported in front of their room door.

After making sure that Kaori was asleep, Naruto quietly entered the room. He, too, was exhausted, but he didn't have the heart to move Kaori so Sakura could sleep with her in the bed. Instead, he laid Sakura on his bed. He picked out his storage scroll and took out two extra blankets so he could sleep on the floor. So many emotions had flitted through his body; he felt as if he had been training all day. He sighed, forcing his body to loosen and relax.

In moments, he was asleep.

00000

**A/N:** Aha, so I bet you guys didn't expect a fight? Maybe? Maybe not? Well, so many people have possible "fights" and yet Naruto always finds some way to bring Sakura around, or something else, but he never is _soooo_ close to hitting her (heh, yeah, and an inch from her head at that). So I had to be different and put it in there.

Lemme know what you guys think! I will update this in a month (I know it's summer, but give me a break!) cause I should be getting a job soon. I'll be gone all next week, but have no fear! I have one of my trusty notebooks with which I can sit down and work on the chapters! Until next time, sayonara!

- wolf's paradise


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Yeah, sorry this is a little late. I've been a bit tied up. I'm trying to get the stinkin chapter 10 written, but it's going so slowly. I'm trying to write faster, but inspiration is not quick to provide me with motivation nowadays. Well, I also just got a job, so maybe that'll spark an incentive for me to write. It seems that the busier I am, the more motivation and ideas I get. Yeah, twenty-six pages for this chapter. This one was a little difficult to write, but I definitely enjoyed writing certain parts in the chapter.

Well, I've been surprised that you guys seem to say that this is an original plot. I didn't think it was, but apparently, certain things in here haven't quite been explored before. I'm actually really happy that you guys think this is original. I really appreciate it!

Thanks to all my reviewers who have reviewed! **evryluvsmisty**, **cenright** (true, but I think Sakura considers it her fault, too. I know I would), **fire-Angel-of-death322** (thank you!), **xAZNxRiceboy** (haha! Thanks! Um, not seen Fable 2, not sure what it is, so yeah… and trust me, it takes a while to drop a disguise you've worked so hard to build), **Djmidziullis**, **Naruto the Sage** (um, I think I mentioned this in a previous author's note but in my story everyone helped to defeat Pein. I'm not sure when I'll mention it, but it will be mentioned. So that's why the Amegakure said that Konoha helped rid them of Pein because it wasn't just one person), and **PainERrock**.

* * *

Chapter Nine

* * *

The night was dark, but he didn't really mind. He blended in with the scenery anyway. His white shirt was just a pale, shadowy cream in the darkness of the trees. It was a pleasant night; the forest was alive with the sounds of fireflies and other insects; soft rustles of bushes whispered in the air as rabbits and other small animal life turned to their nocturnal tendencies.

He really wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, but he really didn't need to. No one knew he was there, and he would be able to feel them should an enemy decide to appear. His ability to sense chakra had been heightened a long time ago, and it wasn't a lesson easily forgotten.

Yet the battle in his head still raged. The sides warred, vying for his acceptance of either proposal. He wasn't so lost as to agree with the darker side of himself, but he wasn't ready to trust the lighter side that had been betrayed. He had learned many lessons—the hard way. He just wasn't sure which path to take.

"_I don't care what you say. I can tell you care about them."_

Her voice echoed in his mind. It had enlightened him to a fact that he was trying to keep buried. She seemed to help him choose the path he wanted to take, instead of trying to pry himself away from the grip of his darker side by himself. He was grateful… in a way, but would he truly ever thank someone? Maybe he would thank Naruto, and maybe Sakura, but not her, and not anyone else.

She wasn't one of his favorite people in the world, but she was acceptable, and he needed her skills. He was surprised that one night how she had acted. He was going to dismiss her, since he didn't need her anymore, but their talk had changed his mind.

_She sat next to him as a sigh escaped her lungs. For once, she wasn't being annoying. She wasn't acting like the fangirls that had plagued him back in Konoha. She was being… tolerable._

"_They've gotten strong."_

"_So you've told me."_

_She scoffed. "Just doing my job, Sasuke-kun."_

"_But you haven't told me of any new techniques."_

"_Because I don't know of any. I don't know what the pink-haired girl you call Sakura has in ways of ability, because I haven't seen her use any. I always come too late. But I have heard things about her. Besides, all I could tell you was when Uzumaki Naruto used that powerful technique. Other than that girl finding her affinity for water, there hasn't been anything for me to report."_

"_Hm."_

"_That's all you ever say," she scoffed again._

"_Hm. You know it isn't true."_

"_Besides the general 'do your job!' or 'find out how strong Sakura and Naruto have gotten' you hardly ever say anything but 'hm' to me."_

_Sasuke was silent. He knew it was true for the most part, but he talked that way to everyone, even when he formed Team Hebi. It was still hard for him to spit out more than one-word responses, especially when he had conditioned himself to remain silent, no matter what accusations were thrown at him. Which was why he should have been stronger than Naruto._

"_Why do you care for them, Sasuke-kun?"_

"_I beg your pardon?"_

"_I don't care how many times you say that you want to know their power so you can defeat them. I know you care at least a little for them. I can see it in your eyes."_

_He must be going soft. No one was supposed to know that. They weren't supposed to know that no matter how hard he tried, he could not summon the hate to kill them, or even the _want_ to kill them. They were his old teammates, ones that had stuck by him, tried to help him, even if he hadn't wanted they're help. Sakura… and Naruto…_

"_Weren't they your old teammates?"_

"_Yes," Sasuke whispered hesitantly. He quickly growled. "But they were holding me back." But it wasn't true…_

"_Hm. You mentioned that once, didn't you?"_

_He had a good memory. The pain from the images of that night that flashed through his mind was testament of that fact. But he still had momentary lapses of consciousness, not where he would black out, but where he would remember the good times in Konoha, when he was part of a three-man cell led by a single lazy jounin. It was during those times of reminiscing that he would let things slip, such as the fact that they had been teammates._

_But thank God he had not mentioned that he still even remotely cared for his former team. He remembered that time almost three years ago (he had turned eighteen a few months before) when he had first seen his teammates. He had been able to hide the surprise that had flicked across his face, but it had been slightly difficult. He had forced his voice to be indifferent. Naruto had grown considerably, and even from afar, Sasuke was able to tell that he and Naruto were now taller than Sakura. He was even more surprised to see her. Her hair was still short, and her outfit different, but her power hadn't seemed to change._

_He had been ready to kill Naruto—he really had, but then that other boy, his replacement, had stayed his sword. In that instant, Sasuke had hesitated. Itachi's voice had flashed through his mind, and he was reminded of why he didn't kill Naruto in the first place. He hadn't wanted to achieve the Mangekyou like Itachi had, but there was a small part of him—hoping, wishing, praying—that Naruto would stop him. Naruto would grow, and be able to stop him before the irrational obsession of his mind took over._

_It had been ironic, though. The man that he had detested, despised, hated, had been the one to rid his mind of the incurable craving for power. His brother Itachi had been the one to suck out the power of Orochimaru, and forever seal it away with his death. There was no curse mark anymore, no dark streaks threatening to sift across his skin, no dark side of his mind trying to persuade him to kill the helpless._

"_Sasuke-kun?"_

_He turned to face her, his onyx eyes expressionless, before turning back to the scenery in front of him (even if it was just a forest of trees). A small noise that sounded very much like a snort echoed in the back of his throat. "You can leave. Just make sure you keep an eye on them."_

"_Hai, Sasuke-kun," she acknowledged, disappearing as quickly as she had appeared._

Sasuke still thought of his team. He wondered how Naruto was fairing; that new jutsu sounded powerful, and Sasuke wanted to see what it could do. But Sakura… What did she look like now? She probably looked the same as three years ago. She hadn't changed too much from the small, thirteen-year-old genin that cried, other than the fact that her body had changed. But that _was_ three years ago.

Had she gotten stronger? He hoped so, at least. She had always been a slight setback, especially since she really wasn't sure what her talent as a ninja was. Apparently she had just found her affinity for water, which was a little late to start training to kill. They were already eighteen—what had she been doing for these past five years then?

When he had glimpsed at her chakra, it did look more controlled, and there had been that time when she had charged him. He could see the chakra in her fist, but had stopped her before she had even gotten close to him. He hadn't been worried about the chakra in her fist. Still, he couldn't help but wonder.

Besides, why did he flinch each time he thought of her, especially the memory when she had cried for him to stay? She had tried to get his attention and affection; she had even offered to go with him to Orochimaru. And yet, that offer did not seem to mean anything when he had seen her the last time. She was defending Naruto, the other teammate, and that new sensei. She shouldn't really matter that much to him. She hadn't really known what he and Naruto had been through.

But she was protecting Naruto…

It was just Naruto.

Just Naruto.

So if it was just the blond idiot, why did he feel that slight flinch in his chest?

Why did it _matter?_

00000

Sakura sucked in a breath as she stirred, slowly becoming conscious of the things around her. The sunlight was in the wrong place, but that wasn't the thing that startled her the most. One soft voice sounded amused while another one gave a small squeal. Sakura lurched from the bed, kunai in hand.

Her bleary eyes focused, finally seeming to take in the sight before her. Naruto was sitting on the floor in the lotus position. His hands were held in front of him, palms facing the ceiling. Kaori sat on her knees in front of Naruto, her hands mere centimeters away from his open palms. Her grey eyes were looking quizzically at the kunai in Sakura's hand, and her cheeks were slightly flushed. Naruto simply looked amused, and the medic quickly twirled the kunai around her hand to deposit it back in its holder. She smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry."

Naruto shrugged, but Kaori hesitantly stood. She wrung her hands, nervousness evident in her unfocused eyes. "May I…"

A small smile lit Sakura's face. "Come here, Kaori," she whispered, holding out her arms. The caramel-haired girl's face lightened, her eyes brightening until they brimmed with tears. She jumped onto the bed and threw herself into Sakura's arms, burying her head in the medic's shoulder. Sakura laughed, patting the little girl's back.

"I'm sorry," Kaori whispered. "I… I forgot your name."

Sakura chuckled. "Don't be sorry, Kaori. My name is Sakura. I take care of the kids at the Amegakure Hospital."

The girl's eyes widened. "I think I've seen you! Do you take care of someone named Masuyo?" When Sakura nodded, Kaori's smile widened. "He's one of my best friends! He talks about you a lot, Sakura-san." The girl paused before grabbing Sakura's arm. "Come on, Sakura-san! I want you to watch me and Naruto-san play a game!"

"I'm coming. I'm coming." Sakura stepped from the bed to the floor before sitting down on Naruto's left. He was smiling. Sakura questioned him with her eyes, but he just shook his head and turned back to Kaori. She held out her hands, palms up, and Naruto placed his hands on top of hers. Sakura knew now what game they were playing. The girl squealed in happiness when she got Naruto's hands; then they switched places.

Sakura had never seen a girl so happy before. Naruto, too, seemed to be acting different around the girl. He was careful with his hands and his strength, aware that even the slightest mistake could hurt the girl. It was strangely endearing to see such a serious shinobi smile around such a small girl. Sakura smiled warmly at the sight, her eyes widening in shock as Naruto turned to her.

"Come on, Sakura," he challenged, a sly grin on his face. "Play with us."

"You mean play against you."

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"Psh," Sakura scoffed. "You know you so want to fight me on this."

His grin widened. "And if I did?"

Green eyes narrowed, shining with mischievous intent. "Then I would say to bring it on."

The blonde scooted to face her. "Then come on."

Sakura shook her head, green eyes flicking to his open palms. "Nuh uh. _I_ go first."

Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together. "Now why would I let you do that?"

"Because," Sakura smiled sweetly, "You're a gentleman."

"Sure," Naruto scoffed.

"Are you denying that you're a gentleman? 'Cause I was kind enough to compliment you, mister," Sakura said, poking her finger into Naruto's stomach.

"Oi, oi! No poking!" he protested.

The pink-haired medic smiled. "You said nothing about poking."

"It's a general rule! You only slap the other person's hand!"

"Since when do shinobi completely follow orders? I can poke you whenever I want!"

"Itai! No poking!"

"Yes, poking!" Sakura emphasized her point by poking Naruto's arm.

"Stop! Or I'll poke you!" Naruto complained.

"Like you really would," Sakura scoffed.

Naruto's eyebrows rose. "You don't believe I will?"

"You wouldn't…" Sakura's eyes glinted dangerously, daring him to actually follow through with his threat. She wouldn't put it past him to poke, but with Naruto, you never knew.

A sly smile split Naruto's lips as he reached out, quickly nudging Sakura's shoulder. "See? I poked you."

"Obviously," Sakura growled. Her fingers ground against her palms. "You wanna try that again?" She jabbed Naruto's chest.

"Sakura… You sure you want to continue?" Naruto smiled wider before he poked Sakura's forehead.

A pink eyebrow twitched. "You did _not_ just poke my forehead…"

"Hmm? I didn't hear you…" To make his point, Naruto prodded her forehead again.

"That's it!" Sakura was ready to punch the grin off of Naruto's face, but her mind fought against it. Kaori was sitting right next to them, and wouldn't look good if the medic gave her teammate a migraine for the rest of the day. So, Sakura turned to Kaori, her face red with the anger she was attempting to contain. She would get Naruto back later. "Kaori, you watch; I'm going to cream him," she growled, her palms facing down as she held out her hands.

Naruto smiled. "If that's the way you want it…" He quickly glanced over, winking at Kaori before placing his hands underneath Sakura's. Sakura kept her eyes locked on his, studying the glint in Naruto's blue orbs. She knew they would give her a second's notice before he would make his move.

He blinked, and Sakura removed her hands just as his flipped. She smiled. "Ano… You missed."

The blonde's lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He tried again. He missed. Kaori laughed. Naruto gritted his teeth, then looked at Sakura. He pushed chakra into his hands and his fingers slapped down onto her skin. Sakura growled.

"Fine. It's my turn."

Sakura channeled chakra to her forearms, waiting. Her palms were open and facing up, relaxed. Naruto's palms rested on hers. Her face scrunched as she focused on getting Naruto back. His chakra had stung slightly; she would make sure that her chakra would bruise a few bones in those offending fingers of his. Her fingers twitched, and in a flash Naruto's hands had retreated from her palms. After Naruto hesitated for a moment, Sakura smiled wickedly.

"Come on, Naruto. Your hands need to be back on mine… scaredy-cat."

"Damn right," he mumbled. "I don't trust you."

"Oh?" Her smile turned innocent. "And why not, Naruto? I'm your teammate, right?"

Naruto's lips pulled into a grim line. "Hmm. That's what I'm afraid of."

Sakura forced a laugh from slipping from her lips. Naruto's hands hesitantly came to rest on her palms, and Sakura smiled. When she spoke, his hands jerked slightly. "And what exactly don't you trust?"

Her teammate's face dropped. "Like you don't know."

"Hmm. Enlighten me."

Naruto shook his head. "No way. If I voice it, you'll _definitely_ do it."

"Like this?" Sakura's fingers slapped the tops of Naruto's hands. As soon as the sound reverberated around the room, Naruto blinked before his face contorted slightly. He nodded grudgingly.

"Yeah. Like that."

"Oh," Sakura muttered, her voice feigning regret. "I see."

"Cheh," Naruto scoffed. He held his hands in front of him, watching them shake from the pain. A few of the joints began to swell, and Naruto cursed under his breath. "You had to do that, didn't you, Sakura?" he whined.

Sakura laughed. "Of course!" Her green eyes shifted to an amused Kaori. The little girl was simply taking in the interaction between Naruto and Sakura. Sakura scooted in front of the girl. "Come on, Kaori. You get to play winner."

Kaori looked at Naruto, sensing his pain. "Demo… shouldn't we take care of Naruto-san first?"

Jade eyes sparkled with amusement as they glanced quickly at Naruto's hands. She shrugged. "Eh, he'll be fine."

The blonde's eyes widened. "What?" he nearly shouted.

The pink-haired medic grinned. She wasn't sure why she suddenly felt like flirting with Naruto so much, but she couldn't resist his priceless reactions. She leaned closer to him, her hands and knees supporting her weight as her mouth stopped right next to his ear. Naruto stiffened, his eyes widening and his pulse racing. Her skin was enticingly close, and he felt the sudden urge to see what it tasted like. He looked at the way her body partially hovered over his, and he felt his cheeks flame.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Na-ru-to. I can heal it later, ne?"

He nodded dumbly, his vocal chords nearly choking on air. "S-Sure, Sakura. Whatever… you want," he said breathlessly. She leaned away, and he caught himself before he followed her too far. Sakura laughed, thankfully missing her teammate's small blunder. Her bell-like tones echoed in Naruto's mind as Kaori excitedly began to play the game. He watched numbly as they traded places, Sakura intentionally letting Kaori win most of the time.

At one point, Kaori cheated slightly. Sakura's eyes widened, and she reached for Kaori, the small girl squealing and shying away. "Come here, you little cheat!" Sakura lunged for Kaori, scooping the small girl into her arms.

Kaori squealed again, laughing as Sakura twirled her around in the air. Naruto stared at Sakura, noticing something in her eyes that he had never seen before. There was a strange light, a strange happiness in her eyes and her movements that betrayed how she felt. He had never seen her look so beautiful as her short hair swirled about her porcelain face, or how tender yet strong her arms seemed as they held Kaori. It was enchanting.

Sakura plopped on the bed, Kaori bouncing down beside her. Kaori was still a small mass of giggles, but that stopped after a while. She buried her face into Sakura's chest, and the medic wrapped her arms around Kaori and chuckled.

"You're so cute."

The girl's grey eyes filled with hope. "R-Really?" When Sakura nodded, the little girl lowered her head. "No one's ever called me cute before."

Naruto felt his heart clench for Kaori. In a way, he knew exactly how she felt. They both had been treated badly. Sakura smiled, her fingers gently stroking Kaori's short caramel hair. "Well, then they're blind idiots. Anyone can see that you're the cutest thing in the world."

"Thank you… Sakura-san," Kaori whispered. She sighed deeply, placing her head on Sakura's chest and closing her eyes. Within moments, she was asleep. Sakura smiled softly as her fingers continued to sift through Kaori's hair. Jealousy swept through Naruto's body. Where was Sakura when he had needed her to do something like that for him? He shook his head bitterly. Of course, her parents had ordered her to stay away from him, and he had been unbearably annoying when he had been younger.

"Naruto?" Sakura's green eyes locked with his, hers showing worry at the deep frown on his face. He quickly changed his expression.

"Gomen, Sakura. I was… thinking."

"Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully. "Me, too." She paused for a moment, her eyes wandering to Kaori's sleeping form. Her head was in the same position, but her arms were wrapped around Sakura's waist. Naruto watched Sakura gaze at Kaori. Suddenly, his teammate turned on him, her eyes snaring his so that he couldn't pull away. "Naruto, what would you do if Kaori were yours?"

"Eh? Nani?"

"If Kaori were yours, what would you do?" she asked again.

He didn't have an answer. Not yet anyway. However, Sakura didn't really need an answer. "You know, I've only just met this little girl, and already I feel as if she's mine or something. I can't explain it. It feels _right_ to have her here."

Naruto set his mouth. This was something he had never seen in Sakura before. She looked confused, but at the same time, she looked more content, and there was something more in her eyes. He couldn't even explain it right. Still, Sakura had just managed to make him fall harder without even batting an eyelash.

"I'd hold her, protect her, be there for her."

"Huh?"

"If she were mine, I'd hold her, protect her, be there for her, and love her like she deserves. But I'd want someone to help me…" His last sentence was softer than the previous one, but Sakura heard it. She gasped slightly, and Naruto turned his eyes to her. "What would you do?"

Sakura gave a wry smile and looked down at the sleeping form in her arms. She gently grabbed Naruto's hands, healing his bruised (and slightly fractured) bones. "I'd do what you would do. I'd make her breakfast, see her off to the academy, that sort of thing. I'd love to see her smile all the time."

Naruto nodded. Sakura suddenly sucked in a deep breath. "Naruto, what if someone tries to take her away? What if they let Hisashi continue to beat her?"

The blonde hadn't seen this much worry in Sakura's eyes in a long time. He quickly stood and crawled onto the bed, his face stopping mere inches away from Sakura's. His eyes were determined, and there was a confident half-smile on his face. "I won't let anything happen to her. Or you, Sakura. I'll make sure that nobody hurts either of you."

The medic smiled as she saw the truth in his eyes. "I'll protect her, too." Sakura's free hand reached up to touch Naruto's cheek. "I don't want her to have to go through anything close to what you had to, Naruto. None of it is fair, and if I could, I would beat those villagers to a bloody pulp if I found them harming you."

Her teammate looked slightly shocked, and glanced at her hand. Catching his gaze, Sakura took her hand away. Naruto's eyes tightened, and his eyes bored into Sakura's. "Sakura… thank you." She would never know how much her words meant to him.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Naruto scrambled off of the bed, his ears turning a small tint of red. He opened the door, and his expression hardened as he eyed the visitor. He noticed the coy smile on her face, but he ignored it. After all, she was of no interest to him.

"Yes, Akane-sensei?"

The twenty-year old smirked. "Amekage-sama would like to see you—_and_ Haruno—downstairs in his office. Oh, and uh… bring your little… _friend_."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and Akane laughed lightly. She reached forward, ruffling his hair for a second before Naruto pulled away with a noise of disgust. Akane simply smiled. "Don't forget, Naruto-kun. He wants you down there as soon as possible." She turned and walked away.

The blonde stared after Akane, his thoughts raging. He wanted to kill her, or at least injure her badly. He hated the way she looked at him and how she touched him. He didn't necessarily mind contact—when it was Sakura or his other friends. Besides, there was something about her that wasn't right.

"N-Naruto…" Sakura's small voice called him back from the thoughts in his head. He slammed the door, and turned to face Sakura. Her expression was strained, and he noticed her fingers tightening into fists around the fabric of Kaori's shirt.

"You heard."

Sakura nodded.

"I won't let him take her back, Sakura." Naruto's voice was firm, determined. "I will not let her go through what I did."

His teammate blinked, gradually untangling her hands from Kaori's shirt. She nodded slowly, her hand carefully stroking Kaori's back. "Kaori," Sakura whispered. "Kaori, sweetie, you have to get up. We need to go somewhere."

The little girl stirred, sucking in a breath before quickly blinking her foggy eyes. She looked up at Sakura, removing her hands from the medic's waist to wipe her grey eyes. "What do I have to get up for?"

"Someone would like to see us," Naruto answered.

"Oh." Kaori looked suddenly nervous as Sakura helped the girl off of the bed. Kaori nervously wrung her hands before she reached up to grab Sakura's, holding it as tight as she could. Sakura gave the small hand a squeeze.

"It'll be okay, Kaori. I promise."

Kaori's breath hitched. "You promise?"

"I promise." Sakura voice rang with determination. She _and_ Naruto would protect Kaori from Hisashi.

The three carefully walked down the steps, Naruto walking slightly in front of Kaori and Sakura. "N-Naruto-san," Kaori whispered before latching on to Naruto's right hand. He looked over and smiled. The girl let a small smile part her lips before looking in front of her. They were walking towards the office at the very end of the hall. Kaori had no idea what was in there, but Naruto and Sakura did.

Naruto reached forward and slowly opened the door to the office. All four teachers stood behind Amekage Eiji, and there was only one other person in the office. Hisashi stood to the left of the Amekage, arms crossed over his chest and face furious. His lips were pulled down into a scowl, and for a tenth of a second, his eyes betrayed the fear he felt at the memory of Naruto's anger.

Kaori nervously glanced around the room, giving a small squeak when her eyes rested on Hisashi. She scooted behind Sakura, grabbing onto the fabric of the medic nin's pink skirt. Sakura tensed, ready to defend the little girl if necessary.

"Amekage-sama," Hisashi started, his voice low with annoyance. "Those are the two that stole Kaori from me yesterday."

"Liar," Naruto snarled.

When the four teachers tensed, Sakura put a hand on Naruto's arm, the surprise of the action forcing him to turn to her. Her green eyes showed her insistence. "Don't, Naruto. Calm down." She nodded reassuringly, but she saw his hands twitch in agitation. He was trying so hard to do as she said.

The Amekage folded his hands in front of him and leaned his elbows on the desk. "Uzumaki-san. Haruno-san. Hisashi tells me that you two kidnapped his sister yesterday and mistreated her."

Sakura's eyebrows pushed together. "That's not true," she muttered, struggling to take her own advice and keep the anger from her voice.

Amekage Eiji sighed. "Then what is?"

"It's the other way around," Naruto said gruffly, allowing some of the Kyuubi's anger to seep through the seal. The air thickened, causing all except Eiji to shift uncomfortably. Sakura took a step toward Naruto until her whole left side was touching his right. Her fingers gently touched his arm.

He shivered slightly when he felt the tingling sensation prickle over his skin. Her chakra was cool, soothing, and it eased the red rage that had started to slick through his body. He sucked in a deep breath, the comforting feeling of Sakura's proximity squashing the anger even faster than her chakra. Once he knew he was calm enough, Naruto's eyes snapped up to meet Eiji's.

"Hisashi was the one that was hurting Kaori. I came in after I saw him beating her because she hadn't bought him food."

"I have a report," Sakura added. "Due to the extent of her wounds, I had to fill out a form describing her injuries. In all non-hospital cases, medics are required to fill out a form depending on the amount of damage done to a patient. Kaori's injuries were enough to require a form." Her slender hand pulled out a two-page report, and she handed it to Eiji.

Hisashi was shaking angrily. "That's not true. She's lying!"

Kaori whimpered at the rise in Hisashi's voice, her small fingers gripping harder onto Sakura's skirt as she buried her face in the medic's leg. Sakura glared at Hisashi before kneeling down to wrap her arms around the trembling girl. Sakura lifted her up, supporting Kaori on her right hip as she held the girl close. Kaori wrapped her small arms around Sakura's neck, clinging to the pink haired medic for all she was worth.

Amekage Eiji rubbed his temples. He was starting to regret requesting the Konoha shinobi. They seemed to be bringing more trouble than he wanted to deal with. "Technically," he sighed, "Hisashi is her legal guardian. Though I don't believe it, this report could be fake. There is nothing I can do if I have no proof of injury. I'm sorry."

Sakura's hands shook. Her fingers tightened around the soft fabric of Kaori's shirt. "No," she growled.

"Miss Haruno…" Eiji protested wearily.

"No!" Sakura yelled. She had seen Kaori's injuries, her fears, and her happiness. She would not let the girl get beaten again. She wanted to see Kaori's smile; she had been so happy playing Naruto and Sakura, and Sakura didn't want to see the little girl cry ever again. Sakura had made the mistake of not helping in time when Naruto had been hurt. She didn't want to make the same mistake.

Naruto stared at Eiji, his blue eyes reading the plan in the elder man's gaze. The blonde touched Sakrua's arm, and he felt her angry chakra humming on the surface of her skin. Her eyes flashed as her gaze locked with Naruto's.

"Sakura, we have to let her go."

Her gaze hardened. What was Naruto saying? Was he going back on his promise?

"Sakura." His voice had softened. She searched his eyes, knowing that there was a purpose in what he was saying. Naruto was planning something, or knew of a plan. She just had to trust him. She nodded slowly, and Kaori gasped.

"But—" She pulled back to look at Sakura. "But you said that you would protect me! That you wouldn't let me go back!"

The pink haired medic looked at the little girl. "I _promised_ that I wouldn't let him hurt you again. Trust me, Kaori. Trust me. Even if something bad happens, I _promise_ that I will be there for you."

"You… You do?"

"Yes."

"Then… Then I have to go to him… Don't I?"

"Yes."

Kaori glanced at the ground. Hadn't Sakura-san and Naruto-san promised to keep her safe? She wasn't sure what was happening, but it seemed important that she go with her brother. Her troubled eyes met Sakura's concerned gaze. "I… I don't understand, Sakura-san, but I do trust you. I know that you will protect me no matter what."

Sakura crushed the little girl to her chest, a few tears silently slipping down her cheeks. Kaori cringed as she walked toward Hisashi. Amekage Eiji sighed, rubbing his temples again as the four teachers watched Hisashi roughly take Kaori's slim wrist. The Amekage waved his hand. "Hiroyuki, Daichi, Seiichi, Akane, and Hisashi: please leave. I need to speak with Haruno-san and Uzumaki-san."

The four teachers nodded, pushing Hisashi out of the office. Once they were gone, Eiji turned to Naruto and Sakura. "I am having Hiroyuki follow Hisashi. I do believe what you wrote in your report, but I need solid evidence before I can take her out of Hisashi's custody. There have been several reports of Hisashi's mistreatment of children and others his age, but no one has testified against him. If Hiroyuki were to see Hisashi hurt little Kaori, would you two become her guardians? I do not wish to place her in an orphanage, and she seems to like both of you."

Sakura already had her answer, but she looked at Naruto. He nodded. "Of course."

Eiji had a strange look in his eyes. "Why? Why do you care for her so much?"

"She's so small," Sakura answered quietly. She turned toward Naruto, sorrowful emerald clashing with confused blue. "No one so small should have to go through something so terrifying and unjust. I want her to feel loved, and for her to know that someone cares about her, and that I'll be there for her.

Naruto's breath hitched. He couldn't tear his gaze away from Sakura. Her green eyes held him, and it seemed as if she were saying the words to him as well. His eyes softened.

"Good," Eiji said, breaking the moment between the chuunin. "I will make the documents now. You two are dismissed."

Both nodded, and Naruto shoved his hands into his pants pockets as Sakura walked beside him. He was extremely nervous, but he had to say something. "Sakura… thank you. I…"

"It's okay, Naruto," she smiled. "I hated seeing what the villagers had done to you, so I purposefully tried to keep it out of my mind. It wasn't until I made Tsunade tell me why you were so upset that I remembered. I want to correct the mistake I made. I wasn't there in time to help you, or any time for that matter."

"It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself," Naruto mumbled, his voice intense.

Sakura smiled as she continued to walk. "I don't, Naruto. I just wish I could have prevented those things from happening to you. I'm sorry." He could see the truth in her watery eyes. To his surprise, she leaned in quickly, her lips barely grazing his cheek in a quick kiss. He stood there stunned.

"I'll be there for you, Naruto. Let me know if you need anything."

She walked off, and he could only stare. His skin burned.

00000

Naruto tried to hide the smile that threatened to split his face, but it wasn't quite working. A week ago, everything had perked up. A few hours after Hisashi left Eiji's office with Kaori, Hiroyuki had found him beating the little girl, and had promptly told the Amekage. Naruto and Sakura had taken full responsibility of Kaori, signing the papers that officially made them her guardians. Though it would mean that Naruto and Sakura would bring Kaori back with them to Konoha, Eiji was simply happy that she was being well taken care of.

Now, Naruto and Kaori were sitting in the hospital's kitchen, watching Sakura pull out a burnt tray. He finally let out a full bout of laughter when Sakura screamed in indignation, slamming the tin tray to the floor and viciously bending it (while creating a few small cracks in the tile below). She turned to glare at Naruto, hands angrily resting on her hips. She stomped over to him, grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"And _what_, may I ask, _Naruto_, is so damn funny?"

"Ah… gomen, Sakura. It's just…" He failed to keep his shoulders from shaking with laughter. She shook him.

"It's not funny that I messed up, baka! I have worked on this for two hours!" When he wouldn't stop laughing, Sakura shook her fist to hold back her anger, but her efforts were futile. Her fist smashed into the top of his skull, effectively knocking him off of the chair in which he sat.

"Ow! Ow, Sakura-chan!" he whimpered.

"That's what you get for laughing at me you big dolt!"

"I am not!"

"Uzumaki Naruto, _don't_ argue with me!"

He mumbled as he stood to his feet. "You sound like you're my mother or something…"

"Na-ru-to!" Sakura screamed angrily, rushing after the blonde. A look of fear lighted his ocean blue eyes, and he ran away from his infuriated teammate. She chased him around the kitchen, paying no heed that they were in the hospital's kitchen of all places, that Kaori was watching the scene with wide eyes, or that she and Naruto were arguing again like old times.

Neither Naruto nor Sakura was sure how many times she chased him around the kitchen until an idea suddenly popped into his head. Naruto sped up, rushing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She squealed in protest, her eyes narrowing dangerously when she felt his chest against her back. Damn. She hadn't even thought of using a simple shunshin in order to catch him. She growled.

"Gotcha… Sakura-chan," he whispered playfully in her ear, his breath fanning over her skin. She shivered, but gathered her chakra, attempting to slow the suddenly rapid pace of her heart.

"Not yet, baka," she challenged, a wicked grin on her face. Naruto's smile faltered when she stomped on his foot, and grunted as her elbow smashed into his stomach. He kneeled to the tile, clutching his stomach and trying to block the pain of his bruised feet. Nothing had been broken, but it hurt like hell. He looked up as Sakura leaned over him and grabbed his shirt, lifting him to his feet.

She smiled. She hadn't seriously punched Naruto in a long time (not that she had been aiming to these past few years), and it felt good. Besides, he deserved it for laughing at her failed attempt to cook dinner. It wasn't that she was a bad cook; this oven was much newer than the old one in her apartment. She had put the dinner on for too long, and now it was a blackened mess. She was already upset about ruining it, and Naruto's laughter made it worse. Though she did admit (in the very deepest part of her brain) that it was funny.

Naruto started at the fury in Sakura's face. He felt like it was three years ago, before everything had changed. He missed it. He remembered how he would find an excuse for her to hit him, just so he could be close to her. He had liked seeing the flash of fire burn her green eyes, and had been able to smell the light scent of cherry shampoo. It was a strange sense of déjà vu. He saw her eyes flash, and the swirling air around him brought the unique scent of cherry to his nostrils.

His blood boiled as he stared at the intensity of her gaze. Her skin looked like light peach silk, and he felt the sudden urge to sift his hand through her pink hair as it fell over her face. Her sultry pink lips curved into a smile, and his thoughts stopped as a fist flew toward his face. His eyes widened, and he reacted without thinking. He stopped her fist with his hand, grabbed her other wrist, and twirled her against the wall. He smiled.

"Gotcha… Sakura-chan," he said again.

She growled. He was right. Her hands were pinned on either side of her head, and Naruto's feet were planted over hers. She couldn't move. Her eyes flashed, and Naruto gulped, suddenly clamping his jaw shut as he tried to control himself. He just realized how close he and Sakura were, and he felt hot, embarrassed, but he couldn't pull away. Damn those scintillating jade eyes.

Sakura could feel the sudden change in the atmosphere. Her anger wavered as she looked at Naruto's eyes. They were darker; the emotion was something she couldn't quite place. Her eyelids shut half-way, her breath spinning faster. He was so close that she could feel the heat radiating off of his body, and her own core temperature rose a notch. She lazily looked into his troubled cerulean eyes, her own half-lidded gaze darkening as something burned through her veins. The playful grip on her wrists tightened. She felt his quickening breath tickle her lips, and her tongue unconsciously darted out of her mouth, wetting the pink skin.

Naruto leaned closer, stopping an inch before his mouth met hers. Their breath mingled, and he felt her breasts press against his chest each time she sucked in a gulp of air. Blood pooled in the base of his belly at he stared at the two orbs of darkened jade. His body moved closer to her, lightly trapping her in between him and the wall. He almost lost control. He had wanted something similar to this for so long; he couldn't believe that it was this close, and she wasn't pushing him away. She was so close—so close to him that he could feel her every breath, her erratic heartbeat, her small shudder in response to his body's light pressure.

They were so close…

"Sakura-san? Naruto-san?" A tiny, confused voice broke through the tension that sparked between Naruto and Sakura. "Is everything all right?"

Ocean blue and minty jade widened. Naruto backed away, and Sakura quickly concentrated on controlling herself. She cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn't shake. "Thanks for telling me that, Naruto."

For a moment, he was confused, but he quickly caught on. He smiled, though Sakura could tell it was forced. "Sure. No problem. I'm sure she'll like it."

"What? Who?" Kaori asked, her eyes brightening at the prospect of possibly getting something.

"You," Naruto smiled. "Right, Sakura?" he asked expectantly.

The medic's eyes narrowed, but she knelt down to Kaori's level. "Since I burned what I was trying to make, how about we go out to eat?"

"Really?" Kaori smiled widely, her whole face lighting up. "We can go eat somewhere?"

"Sure," Sakura laughed. It was hard to be nervous or tense around Kaori, and the little girl had become important to Sakura. She grabbed Kaori's hand. "Come on! Let's go to Onigiri Genki."

Kaori squealed in excitement, jumping up and tugging Sakura after her. The pink haired girl glanced back at Naruto, hurrying him with her eyes.

Naruto looked at Sakura's back in confusion. She hadn't punched him yet (he was no longer sure she _wouldn't_ hit him), but had she forgotten what had happened just minutes before? He couldn't gauge her reaction. If she had been angry, wouldn't she have pushed him away? Or hit him? He couldn't understand it. She was so predictable, but at the same time she was completely unpredictable.

"Naruto," Sakura called. Her green eyes flashed when she looked back at him, and he gulped. "Don't think you're getting out of an explanation."

He nervously scratched the back of his neck as he hurried to catch up to Sakura's right side. "Ah… Sakura-chan… demo—"

She turned on him, her eyebrow twitching angrily. "What was that all about?" she whispered urgently, nervously glancing at Kaori. The girl was gently tugging on Sakura's left arm, but was completely oblivious to Sakura and Naruto's conversation.

He decided to play dumb. "Sakura-chan… what was what about?"

"_Don't_ play dumb with me," she growled. "You know I'm talking about when you pinned me against the wall."

Naruto grimaced. She really shouldn't have used those specific words. They gave him a strange elation, and the tingling sensation trickled down his stomach. "You were gonna hit me! What was I supposed to do?"

"Let me, you baka!"

"But it wasn't my fault that your burning the dinner was so funny!"

Her right hand balled into a fist, and her eyebrow twitched. "U-zu-ma-ki Na-ru-to! Take that _back_."

There was no mistaking the anger in her countenance, but he couldn't help himself. "No." When it looked like she was going to explode, he replied, "I'll pin you against the wall—or ground—again."

Sakura suddenly stopped her threatening glare to tear him apart. He wasn't sure why she stopped, but it was just too fun to mess with her. Unfortunately, that had led to many bruised bones. He would go a little too far and her retaliation would be a fist to the face or somewhere along the body.

But Sakura could hardly understand it herself. She was more furious with herself than she was with Naruto. She had been so angry with him, but one action, one look into his darkened blue eyes and all the anger had completely left her. She could remember that light that had clouded his eyes; she had never come in contact with too many men that had leered at her, but she knew that it had to have been lust. She had never seen Naruto look possessive, or even look at anything like that before. And it angered her to no end because it had sent a thrill through her spine. She hated herself for feeling that warm sensation in her core. She hated herself because she had _liked_ it.

_This is Naruto we're talking about!_ she argued in her mind.

_Don't forget that you did admit you were attracted to him… well, physically at least,_ her Inner reminded her.

_I did not!_

_Did too._

_Did not!_

Her inner sighed. _Whatever you say. I _am_ your true personality, though. Just don't forget that._

Sakura inwardly growled. _Don't remind me._

_Too late,_ her inner smirked.

_Ugh, FINE. So maybe I do find him attractive. But that doesn't mean I like him…_

_Hmm. I suppose. Are you sure, though?_

Strangely enough, Sakura decided to really think on it. She was afraid that if she dug too deeply, she might find what she hoped wasn't there. She could remember so many times that she and Naruto had been together and had fun, times when they had saved each other's lives on dangerous missions, and especially now. Their relationship was growing back to what it had been before.

"Sakura?"

Naruto's eyes were lit with concern.

"Ah! Everything's fine, Naruto. Nothing to worry about."

"But we called you three times and you didn't answer," Kaori said worriedly.

Sakura cursed her inner self. "I'm all right now! I was just thinking about something, that's all."

"If you're sure, Sakura…"

She nodded, following Kaori as she hurried into Onigiri Genki. The three of them were seated at a booth, and Kaori was almost bouncing in her seat due to her excitement. Sakura laughed, and the girl immediately stopped, her grey eyes looking ashamed. The medic put a hand around Kaori's shoulders.

"You've never been out before?"

Kaori shook her head. "Hisashi never let me. Besides, we never had the money."

"What do you mean? Didn't Hisashi's mother take care of you?"

The grey-eyed girl shifted uncomfortably. "Kaa-san died two years ago. It was two months after she had adopted me, and she thought that Hisashi really did care about me. But when she died and left as my guardian, he made me look around for money so he could eat. I would either eat nothing or whatever I could find the trash. A few people would let me have some of their meals, though…"

Sakura felt her heart clench. Had Naruto gone through something similar? "I'm sorry, Kaori," Sakura whispered, before brightening her expression. "Come on. Order whatever you want. Our treat."

"Really?"

"Yeah, sure," Naruto smiled.

However, instead of ordering separate plates, Naruto and Sakura bought enough onigiri, bentos, and dango for the three of them. Sakura smiled as Kaori's eyes widened. The little girl actually ate most of the food, but the two chuunin didn't mind. They paid for the meal as Sakura stood to leave. The caramel-haired girl rubbed her eyes, her small mouth opening in a tired yawn. Sakura smiled, wrapping her hands around Kaori's waist and picking her up.

"Thank you… Sakura-san," Kaori whispered, her eyes beginning to close wearily. Kaori relaxed in Sakura's grasp, liking the feeling of Sakura's warm arms around her tiny frame. She felt safe in the medic's embrace; it felt like her mother before she had died. Kaori was a little apprehensive around Naruto; his temper could change quickly, but she also felt protected around him. Nothing he ever did gave Kaori the clue that his anger was directed at her.

Her grey eyes closed, her breathing becoming languid as she was lulled to sleep by Sakura's steady walk. Her head rested on Sakura's shoulder, and Naruto's eyes softened at the trust Kaori showed. As a thought entered the back of his mind, he scratched the back of his head nervously.

"So… what do you think everyone will say when we bring Kaori back to Konoha with us?"

Sakura's step faltered, but she shifted Kaori a bit, her lips pulling down in a frown as she continued walking. "I… I don't know. I've thought about it, and the options don't look good."

Naruto shrugged. "So, we tell them the truth. Besides, she doesn't look like either of us."

Pink eyebrows pushed together. She had thought of that, but Ino… Though they were good friends again, Sakura knew that Ino would not let her live this down. Still Kaori needed a place to stay, and having ninja as parents, especially ones such as her and Naruto (Sakura wasn't quite sure why she was already thinking of _both_ of them being _parents_) was not what Kaori needed. A sudden thought entered Sakura's mind.

"What about Kurenai?" Sakura asked quietly as she ascended the stairs to her and Naruto's room. "I mean, I'm sure Yuudai would love a playmate. And I think Kaori would love having a little brother."

"That's a good idea," Naruto nodded. He hadn't thought of letting Kaori live with Kurenai, but it was one of the best options he knew. He opened the door, watching as Sakura carefully placed Kaori on her bed, gently covering her with the blankets. Sakura sighed, turning away from the little girl to join Naruto outside of the room. It was still light outside, but she and Naruto made their way toward the large tree outside of the Academy.

Since their talk a week ago, she and Naruto had been coming to that very same tree to talk or just to enjoy each other's company. They often sat there to watch the sunset or to idly chat about nothing in particular. It was nice knowing new things about Naruto, or reminiscing about the various pranks he pulled, or when she would nervously tell him about some of the pranks that she had occasionally done.

Sakura inhaled, breathing in the sweet scent of the spicy air mixed with the premonition of incoming rain. This was her favorite time of the day, and she smiled up at Naruto. He laughed at her, and she nudged him aside. They were playful gestures, meant for the best of friends.

Until, that is, Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide and her blood pounding. Naruto noticed the sudden change, turning to her to ask if she was all right. He followed her frozen gaze, watching as two people came closer. One was female, and one was male. He didn't understand what the big deal was, even though he noticed a few strange things: the man's deep forest eyes and the woman's burgundy hair. As the words poured from Sakura's mouth, he suddenly realized why his teammate looked so stunned.

Her voice was shaky, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. Sakura's gaze flickered from the man to the woman and back again. "M-Mom? Dad?"

00000

Kakashi sighed, his senses reaching out into the dark night. Nothing was amiss—yet. He busied himself with the little orange book in front of him, eyes fervently flicking across the page as he read. However, the uncovered eye was the only thing that appeared alive. From a distance, the jounin appeared to be lazily sitting in a tree, quietly and unhurriedly reading the book he held in his hands.

Another sigh escaped Kakashi's lips, but his eye did not turn from the page. "You know, attempting to spy on someone is not very nice," the silver-haired jounin spoke nonchalantly, though he could hardly acclaim to that sentence. He had never quite spied on anybody (he saw what had happened to Jiraiya at the onsen baths and was quite content to forgo the pain) unless it was a mission.

He heard a snort not a hundred yards away, but its owner did not appear. Kakashi continued perusing his book, quite happy to let the other make the first move, even though it had been the one to ask the jounin to show. Kakashi was not one for unnecessary movements, and the more time he was able to spend with his book, the better.

"Maybe if you had come to me first, I wouldn't have been spying for the past hour," a voice came from the bushes. Finally, he showed himself. However, Kakashi shrugged, his hand coming to turn the page of his prized Icha Icha book.

"I'm not used to being ignored."

His voice was irritated, and Kakashi decided it was probably best if he put his book down before the one who had asked him to come became extremely angry. Kakashi sighed again as he placed the book in his pouch. Though still crouched, he rolled to his feet, balancing on his toes on the thick branch.

"So, you wanted to talk to me about Naruto's training."

The blood red fox sat on the branch, tail waving slightly before he completely lay down. This jounin was not in for a fight, and there was no animosity in his stance, though the fox had learned not to trust everything his eyes told him. Chisoku lay his head down on his black paws, eyes flicking away as he sighed. "Hai. I want him to work and train with me. If he is to use our clan to fight, we must know if he will be able to fulfill the requirements. If not, then I will work with him until then."

"That's a big expectation of someone who greatly dislikes the thing sealed inside of him." Kakashi was by no means stupid or simpleminded. He knew the moment the Kyuubi had begun to talk to Naruto, and the effect the demon had on the boy. Even now, though utilizing some of the Kyuubi's chakra, Naruto wasn't doing it effectively. He still didn't know that Kakashi tended to follow his every move, and the jounin was smart enough to know that Naruto didn't quite detest the creature inside of him.

Chisoku cast Kakashi a sidelong glance. "Kyuubi is still our clan's lord. He is the strongest of all our summon clans."

"I didn't think Kyuubi was a summon _and_ a bijuu."

"He wasn't," the red fox muttered. "He came to our clan more than one hundred years ago, before he started his battle with Hachibi."

"So it was true…"

"Of course," Chisoku scoffed. "Did you think it was a legend? Well, it would have been bigger if the eight-headed bastard hadn't run off like a damn coward."

"One hundred years is a long time to fight."

"And he managed to escape with his life and start a summoning clan," the fox growled.

"I take it you don't like snakes?"

Chisoku deadpanned. "Detest is more like it." His red eyes returned to gazing into the forest, even though there was nothing to see. "No matter. Hachibi is dead."

"It was too easy."

"Maybe, but I watched a fox from the hunter clan burn Hachibi to ashes." The fox paused for a moment before fixing Kakashi in an intense red stare. "And I'm not mistaken when I tell you that it _was_ Hachibi."

Kakashi shrugged. "I heard Manda was dead, too."

"Thankfully," Chisoku sighed. "He's been plaguing our clan for years. That's why we haven't shown ourselves. We've been recuperating ever since Hachibi started using Manda as a summon."

A silver eyebrow rose. Chisoku met the curious gaze. "How else do you think that snake of a man was able to have so many bodies?"

"An eight-headed snake…"

"… has different abilities from a bijuu, yes." The red fox knew the jounin was curious, so he decided to elaborate. "Tailed beasts are different from many-headed beasts. Since Hachibi was the last of them, there aren't any more like him. There were few to begin with. However, each of Hachibi's heads was able to give him a couple new lives should the body he occupied fail him."

"Orochimaru… He was never normal…"

"No, he was. He was an actual child, one that lived a normal life. No one knows how or when Hachibi was able to enter his body and take over—records were never made even though our clan was supposed to be watching him. He had outsmarted us, though."

"Hmm…" Kakashi stood, turning to leave. "I'll talk to Naruto. He won't like it, but I suppose he doesn't have a choice. He is Kyuubi's jailer."

"And as his jailor, he is now the only candidate to have a right to summon us. He is not our lord since we reside in our own land, but we will aid him whenever he is in need."

Kakashi nodded, his hand coming to his face as he flickered away. A swirl of leaves fell in his place, and the fox watched the jounin disappear into the black night.

00000

**A/N:** So, the ninth chapter – new material, new ideas, and new twists! How do you guys like it? Is it good? Bad? Expected? Let me know. I really love reviews, you know!

Okay, so no one has asked this, but most of the OC names I've picked mean something. I won't say what, but here is the list of my OC character's name's and their meanings:

- Chisoku: speed

- Eiji: excellent second son; splendid ruler

- Kaori: fragrance

- Kotone: harp sound (little did her parents know she would sound much _worse_ than a harp…)

- Akane: brilliant red

- Hiroyuki: widespread happiness

- Seiichi: admonishing/pure first son

- Daichi: great first son; great land

- Takara: treasure

- Masuyo: increase the world

- Samanji: yeah… I made that one up. Sounds Jap though, ne?

- Izanami: female who invites

- Hisashi: long-lived


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Okay, so I pretty much see this chapter as a failure. There are important elements in here, especially toward the end, but I honestly think this is the worst chapter I've ever written. It's only about 14 pages long, so sorry that it isn't my "getting to be normal" 20 page chapter. I've also been really busy with work, so it's hard to just sit down and write when I hardly ever get any down time to myself.

Anyway, I guess you guys know the drill. Review if you'd like (I'd greatly appreciate it). But tell me what you guys think of this chapter. Cause I honestly think it sucks. Maybe it's a bit funny, but it sucks nonetheless. Well, hope you enjoy, and sorry that this chapter is late!

(Special thanks to arianawithlove and believeit6 for being my awesome editors)

* * *

Chapter Ten

* * *

He had been in many embarrassing situations before—ones that had gotten him severely hurt, or ones that had ended in extreme silence, leaving the atmosphere awkward and quite embarrassing. However, this one had to take the cake. He had never been _this_ embarrassed before, and it was making him mad. He was mad that the simple implication could make him lose what little control he already had, and that alone was infuriating. Not to mention the older man lecturing him on "proper." Honestly…

"… You and my daughter _living_ together…!"

Did he really…

"… that no doubt has grounds to believe you've been having sexual relations with _my_ daughter…!"

Have to say things _like that_?!

"… to think that my daughter has been submitting herself to _you_…!"

Control. _Control,_ Naruto told himself.

Forget the implication of that last stressed word. He needed _control_.

"… You and my daughter… together! You better be taking care of her! If I find one incident of you being harsh with her…!"

Naruto didn't listen to what else he said after that. He smacked his head against his hand, trying to bully the tantalizing images out of his mind. Sakura's father definitely wasn't helping. In fact, he was the one that put the images in Naruto's head in the first place. And of course, that's what made it worse. He liked it. He liked what Sakura's father was insinuating (after all, everyone knew he had always had a crush on Sakura), but he knew that Sakura would never want someone like him.

And the man raged on and on about good behavior during sex.

_Ugh! As if I need _more_ reminders!_

_Hmm… sounds like a good idea! Let's go find Sakura! Maybe we can—_

"Ah!" Naruto screeched (he convinced himself it _did not_ sound girly) out loud. He whirled on the demon in his mind and squashed it with his hand. _You crazy, sex starved demon! What the hell you insinuating, you bastard!_

_Wubble,_ Kyuubi started, his voice muffled by Naruto's hands. _I fink yuf knug excltf vut I min._

_Ugh—You—Stop—I don't want to see!_ Naruto yelled as Kyuubi presented more muffled scenarios. But of course, he couldn't pin _all_ the blame on the demon. After all, it was _his_ mind reacting to the images. And…

Oh, god _no_…

"Are you even listening to me, boy?!" Sakura's father threatened.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Naruto stammered.

"Good! Now I want you to make sure you two use proper protection…"

Naruto gulped, surreptitiously glancing down at his pants.

_I'm screwed if he finds out…_

_Hmm, I wouldn't mind getting screwed myself._

_Kyuubi! Damn you, quit turning everything into… that!_

_Oh? But your body reacted…_

Naruto hated it when Kyuubi was right, and damn it, the insufferable demon was fucking _right_. Oh, how Naruto hated that demon's ability to manipulate him, put things in his mind…

"Hmm. I don't think you're paying attention," Sakura's father said dangerously. A hand rubbed at a fair chin speckled lightly with stubble.

Naruto dove at the chance to stop the conversation from further bothering his traitorous body. "Sir, you must understand… Living together was protocol for the mission! However, Sakura and I have done nothing in the way of… er… well… _that_. I swear to you, sir! Honest!"

Of course, Naruto left out that little piece of information that _he_ had been the one to suggest that he and Sakura room together. Almost every other chunnin's room was separated into boys and girls, but his and Sakura's room had been the last one. And naturally, Naruto knew that information wouldn't sit well with Sakura's father.

"Oh, dear."

The kind but sudden voice made Naruto jump. Blue eyes rested on an older woman with burgundy hair and soft golden eyes. The shape of her face… It reminded Naruto of Sakura. He gulped as he suddenly saw his teammate next to her mother. Sakura was a medic. He'd be dead if she caught him like this, especially if she knew _she_ had been the one in his mind.

The burgundy-haired woman shook her head, a smile small lighting the soft features of her face. "Tetsuo, don't patronize the poor boy." She turned to Naruto. "Please forgive my husband. He likes to insinuate things in hopes that he will be able to beat the boys up for their faults. He really is quite harmless."

Tetsuo was spluttering. Finally, he shrugged. "Just doing my job, Chikaku."

Chikaku laughed, speaking to her husband for a moment longer. Naruto turned to Sakura, noticing the tinge of pink surrounding her neck and cheeks. She turned to her teammate, hoping her embarrassment wasn't too visible.

"Sorry about my father. He really is quite serious most of the time. He just… says things that…"

"Yeah, I know…" Naruto muttered.

"What?"

"Ah! Nothing! Nothing!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure, baka?"

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't do anything!"

A fist closed around the collar of his shirt, and his eyes were wide.

"Oh, darling, set the poor boy down!" Chikaku laughed as she scolded her daughter. She walked over and grabbed Sakura's arm, all the while shaking her head. "Must I be the mediator for everything? I have such a difficult family…"

"K-Kaa-san!"

"Well, you've definitely gotten more violent, honey…"

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes, the action the last thing Naruto saw of her as she and her mother rounded a corner. Tetsuo turned to the blonde, his face now serious. Naruto could see the warning glint in his eyes. The blonde gulped.

"So…" Tetsuo started, slowly pacing in front of Naruto. "I can see you like my daughter."

"Um…" Naruto stuttered, looking around frantically.

"Don't lie, boy!"

"Y-yes! Y-yes, Tetsuo-sama! I do!"

Tetsuo paused, assessing Naruto's answer before pacing again. "I haven't heard anything about your team from the other villagers in a long time."

Naruto turned away, all nervous countenance fading to be replaced by guilt. "That… The person… He had become like my father, and to lose him…" Naruto couldn't finish, nor did he understand why he was telling Sakura's father this of all things.

Tetsuo could not doubt the truth in the boy's eyes and voice. He was intrigued by the jinchuuriki; after all, his daughter had mentioned the Uzumaki boy quite a few times. It had become increasingly agitating to listen to her tiny bits of small talk as she seemed to speak less of "Sasuke-kun" and more of "Naruto." Tetsuo had secretly been very hurt when the last Uchiha had defected. He had hoped to make something of a potential union between his daughter and talented boy, but he didn't want anything to do with the Uchiha anymore.

But all he would hear were stories about _Naruto_, the jinchuuriki, and how _Naruto_ did this, and _Naruto_ did that. He never thought the kid had been special, but for some reason, he wanted to catch a glimpse of what his daughter saw in the boy—which was why he and his wife had taken the small detour to Amegakure on their way to a remote vacationing town in the Earth Country. It was—after all—his and Chikaku's anniversary.

"Tetsuo-sama, you're daughter is very beautiful," Naruto started slowly, trying to string his sentences together properly. "However, I would never do anything to hurt Sakura. She has been the best friend that I could have asked for." The blonde cast his eyes to the ground. "She's really the _only_ best friend I have."

Tetsuo rubbed his chin, mind taken far back into a memory. He grunted, trying push past his prejudice and dislike of the boy. It wasn't easy, but he felt as if the jinchuuriki should know. "I want to tell you something, jinchuuriki."

Behind Tetsuo, Naruto winced, but if the older man noticed, he made no move to show it. "A while ago, all my daughter would talk about was 'Sasuke this' and 'Sasuke that,' and 'Sasuke-kun.' But recently, in just the past few years, it has gone from 'Sasuke-kun' to just 'Sasuke,' and then to a completely new word entirely."

Sakura's father crossed his arms over his chest, but he still didn't turn to face the Uzumaki. "I had hopes that the Uchiha would return Sakura's affection, but after he left, I lost hope in him and in the fact that my Sakura could have married a well-off man. Now, all she talks about is you. I won't lie and tell you that I wasn't angry, jinchuuriki. I knew what the villagers had done to you, and I didn't want something similar for my girl. As I said, I was angry, especially since I had noticed the change right before the incident…"

"Incident?" Naruto asked warily.

"Yes," Tetsuo nodded. "You see, it had been a mission assigned to your team only…"

_She stepped in the door, battered and slightly worse for wear, but that was what she usually looked like after a difficult mission. Tetsuo smiled from above the newspaper he had lowered as his daughter had walked in the house. Sakura looked over at him, seeming a bit surprised, but forced a smile to her face._

"_Oh… Hi, dad."_

_Immediately, Tetsuo knew something was wrong. His eyes quickly scanned his daughter's tired frame, locking on her left arm mostly hidden from view. All he really saw was the underside of her wrist and her hand, but neither was what had caught his attention. It was the blood that slipped over her pale skin. Tetsuo hurriedly stood._

"_What happened?" he demanded._

"_It—It's really nothing," Sakura mumbled, pulling away and staring at the ground._

"_Like hell it's nothing… Sakura, tell me what happened."_

"_I was just… I was training with Shishou. I made a wrong judgment and injured my arm. I'll be fine."_

_As quickly as only a skilled swordsman could, Tetsuo ripped off the bandage, making Sakura yelp in slight surprise and pain. His eyes widened as he saw three deep gashes marring her skin._

"_What…?"_

"_I told you. It's nothing," Sakura insisted, voice harsher._

"_You're telling me what happened—now."_

"_It was just a misunderstand, Dad. It was my fault, really. Naruto was just—"_

"_Naruto?! If that jinchuuriki did something, I swear—"_

"_No! Don't blame Naruto! He wasn't himself! The Kyuubi had leaked out, and you know that doesn't happen often, much less at all! And it was my fault because I ran to him!"_

"_He was the Kyuubi?!" Tetsuo bellowed, face contorting with anger. Sakura's eyes widened, and she held her hands up in a defensive manner._

"_No! Well, Orochimaru provoked him, and he got really angry—" she sucked in a steadying breath. "It was about Sasuke, and… It was just an accident, Dad!" she insisted when her father started to move. Sakura rushed in front of the door, arms braced out on either side of her body. "Dad, don't! Don't, _please!"

_Tetsuo had always prided himself on the fact that he had a great relationship with his daughter. Besides Inoichi and Ino, most of the ninja in Sakura's generation weren't very close to their fathers. Tetsuo knew almost everything about his daughter, and he knew exactly what rested in her wide, wild green eyes. She looked frantic._

"_Dad, it's okay. It's no big deal. I'm fine. Naruto didn't mean it. He… He was trying to keep a promise…" Her eyes fell to the floor, and she shut them tightly, obviously trying to block out one thought or another._

_But Tetsuo didn't want to hear it. "And in trying to keep his promise, he hurts you!"_

"_It was an accident! It only happened a few days ago. He's… He's already avoiding me as it is… He won't talk to me…"_

_The older man heard the slight tremor in his daughter's voice, but he dismissed it. "Then why is your arm bleeding?"_

_Sakura bowed her head even further. "I was telling the truth," she said, voice slightly challenging even though she refused to look her father in the eye. "It had healed for the most part, but I aggravated it by training with Tsunade-shishou."_

_Tetsuo relaxed, even though he was still wary of his daughter's words. He believed her, but the way she had said a few things still grated on his nerves. "I won't do anything, Sakura," he finally conceded. "Just… be careful."_

_The relief on Sakura's face was unmistakable. She rushed forward, enclosing her father in a tight hug. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you…"_

Sakura's father turned to face the blonde, face stern as he stared Naruto down. "Despite it all, jinchuuriki, I have you to thank for my daughter's confidence and determination, as well as her current abilities."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "M-Me?" Naruto asked incredulously. "But… But I didn't do anything."

The older man shrugged. "Apparently, you did."

"Tetsuo-sama… I…"

"Naruto," Tetsuo started, using the blonde's name for the first time. Naruto looked up, not bothering to hide the emotions visible in his eyes. In that moment, Tetsuo understood why his daughter had defended this boy those few years back. Tetsuo saw the shock, the relief, the happiness, and the kindness that Sakura had obviously seen, even if the jinchuuriki had tried to protect himself.

At first, Tetsuo had seen it as arrogance and a desire to mimic the defected Uchiha's taciturn nature. But now he realized it had been protection. The jinchuuriki had been protecting himself because he'd been hurt, just like Sakura had been after the Uchiha had left.

"I want you to know this." Of course, Tetsuo had been planning to say something different at first, but he felt that this was what was needed. "If you ever propose to my daughter, and she accepts, you have my blessing."

Naruto choked, spluttering on the small bit of spittle in his mouth. His eyes were wide, but his blood was pulsing quickly, excitement coursing through his veins at the thought of him and Sakura together.

He quickly cleared his throat, but it did little to quell the plethora of words trying to escape his mouth at the same time. "But—I—Tetsuo-sama—that wasn't—it won't happen! I mean—she—"

"Naruto. Accept it now, because I might change my mind." Tetsuo's face was stern, and the blonde could see that Tetsuo meant what he said. The blonde bowed quickly, muttering a fervent "Thank you" before Tetsuo threatened him if he didn't stop with the formalities. Still, one question nagged in the back of Naruto's mind.

"Tetsuo," he started, the name sounding odd on his tongue even though Sakura's father had insisted that he skip the respectful terms. Naruto was still a bit unsure to ask the man, but if he didn't, he'd never know. Even though he believed what Sakura had told him, he had to hear the truth from her father's mouth. Sometimes, people could be wrong, and this was something Naruto _had_ to know.

"Did you… Did you ever hate me?"

Sakura's father stiffened, then relaxed ever so slightly. "Yes. Once."

The last part gave Naruto hope, but he had to know more. "When?"

The older man resisted the urge to turn away. His dark green eyes bored into apprehensive blue. "Kyuubi. When you hurt my daughter."

Naruto winced, the memory something he'd much rather forget it. He regretted it with every fiber of his being, especially the incident a few days ago when he had almost hit Sakura. If he had hit her… Naruto didn't want to think about what would happen if her father found out. Not only would he have been in tremendous trouble, but the guilt would have eaten him from the inside out.

"She said it was an accident, and I'm inclined to believe her. I don't trust you completely, Naruto, but from what she has said about you, I know you'd protect her."

Instead of answering, Naruto nodded quickly, and Tetsuo nodded back. "That's all I can ask for. If she ever needed someone to care for her, I trust that you would do it, and you would do it well."

Tetsuo turned from Naruto, back still slightly stiff as he walked away. Naruto stared after Sakura's father long after his figure had disappeared, the recent conversation still whirring through his head, trying to sink in.

He had never expected to have this kind of talk with Sakura's father, much less his father agree to a possible marriage between the two should it come to pass. And yet, even though everything was pushing at the frayed edges of his shocked mind, one thought dominated all the others: him? Marry Sakura?

The corners of his lips turned up into a dreamy smile. Yeah… He'd like that…

00000

"You know, dear, you should be nicer to the poor boy."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, turning to face her mother. Her green eyes narrowed slightly when she caught the look on Chikaku's face. Her mother's golden eyes were shining in the afternoon sun, as was her burgundy hair. Sakura noted (with a twinge of regret) that she was built much like her mother. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, Sakura just wished she had a little less on the bottom and more on the top.

"Well, he is just a boy. Sometimes they need to be hit, but the poor boy was listening to your father." Chikaku chuckled good-naturedly as she thought of her husband's antics. She was glad that he and her daughter had a very good relationship. It was something of which she was very proud.

Sakura sighed. "I suppose you're right…" She stared at the small dessert she had gotten at a small café. A quaint café that still held the feel of a safe, calm community, it was a little further down the main street than Onigiri Genki. Sakura and her mother were sitting at an outside table, reveling in the nice weather. However, clouds dotted the sky, threatening another downpour later in the day.

"He is very handsome, though. He's grown so much…"

"What?!" Sakura screeched, dropping her spoon on the table as the word "handsome" flitted across her vision. Unfortunately, her mind had other ideas…

_Just handsome? Cheh… He's not handsome… He's hot…_

_Stop it! Stop confusing me!_ Sakura begged.

_I know you like him._

Sakura scowled, staring wordlessly at her other counterpart. _If I admit it, will you shut up about it?_

_Maybe._

_Ugh…_

Chikaku chuckled, and Sakura frowned. "Don't do that, Kaa-san. It's… It's not like that…"

_If you lie to your mother, what makes you think I'll keep that deal with you?_ Sakura's Inner challenged, presenting the image of one eyebrow raised with her hands resting stubbornly on her hips.

_Well, I'm lying to her, but being truthful to myself!_

_Yeah, right. Like I'll believe that._

_But… I…_

_You're never going to admit it, are you?_

_I…_

"Oh, it's not?" Chikaku said innocently. She looked away, hand coming to rest on her chin thoughtfully. "Oh well. I thought I saw something else."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. If people could tell… "_What_ something else?"

Chikaku smiled and patted her daughter's hand. "It's nothing, dear. I was simply saying that it looked to me like you liked the boy. It's not like you have to marry him or something, darling. I was just thinking…"

Instead of retaliating, the medic simply looked away, gazing outside of the café at the passing civilians and ninja. She absentmindedly placed a small spoonful into her mouth, unaware of her mother's watchful eyes.

"You've grown up, too," Chikaku said quietly. Sakura turned to her mother, silently questioning Chikaku.

When her mother didn't answer, Sakura's leaned forward, concerned. "Kaa-san?" What was it about the subject that had her mother deep in thought? Surely Sakura hadn't grown up that much… right? Even Naruto said that she was almost exactly the same as three years ago.

"I'm proud of you, Sakura. You've grown into a fine, young woman, but… have you grown too fast?" Chikaku worried her lower lip. "You have gotten so strong, but you used to be caring toward everyone, even if you did hit Naruto quite a few times," her mother chuckled.

Sakura winced, eyes stinging at hearing her mother's words. "Kaa-san…"

"Demo, my daughter, have you lost yourself in the process? You've gotten so strong, and while I'm proud of you, you never cry anymore…"

"Kaa-san. Don't," Sakura pleaded, her voice carrying a grating edge to it as she tried to hold back her tears. "Don't remind me."

"What, Sakura baby? I only mean to say that I miss the times that I could hold you as you would cry on my shoulder. That's what mothers do, you know." Her mother's golden eyes looked into Sakura's jade green, and Sakura knew her mother meant no harm.

"I was so weak then. I couldn't do anything. I've done this so I can be useful," Sakura said determinedly, her voice firm even if it trembled slightly with emotion.

"You were never weak, Sakura," Chikaku encouraged. "You helped to hold your team together for as long as possible until it became too much for Sasuke to handle. He didn't want to admit Naruto's growth, and even your slight growth. But you were never weak. Never. You just hadn't found your skills, yet."

"But… I was always in the way…" Even now, it still bothered Sakura greatly, even though she was going to be qualifying as a jounin soon. She had come a long way, and more than one person had said she could possibly surpass her master.

"Sakura, you've got to let go of that. Does Naruto see you as a burden now? Did he ever see you as weak?"

The medic quaked inside, her mind providing the memories she wasn't sure she wanted to remember. Her distraught, crying self failing to notice Naruto's hurt and torn eyes when she had said she wanted Sasuke back. Her inability to save Naruto and Sasuke from the dangers they were facing.

"_Sakura-chan!"_

The only thing of use was her smart mind, her ability to figure out the trajectory of objects or to discover a plot through clues that they had found on previous missions. Her fear had taken over when they had been in the Wave Country, and all she could do was attempt to protect Tazuna. And her inability to help Naruto and Sasuke against Gaara.

"_Hold on, Sakura-chan!"_

"_Sakura-chan! I'm going to learn that jutsu Kakashi-sensei taught Sasuke!"_

"_I didn't save you. Naruto did."_

"_I promise I'll bring him back, Sakura-chan!"_

Her inability to help Naruto and Sasuke more when faced with Orochimaru for the first time. Her complaining and crying because Sasuke wouldn't date her. Her inability to help Naruto when the Kyuubi had seeped through utilizing Naruto's anger, changing him from the boy that she had known into a raging, powerful demon. Naruto's attempts to always make her smile.

"_You're the most important part of our group, Sakura-chan!"_

"_Wait, no! I meant that as a compliment!"_

Her… crying. Oh, how she hated that weak, helpless little girl! Sakura sucked in a breath, suddenly remembering the promise she had made a long time ago. And yet, it was the thing that drove her to unlimited heights in order to prove her worth.

"Kaa-san. I made a promise to Naruto. I promised him that I would get stronger, and that I wouldn't be a burden. I promised to catch up to him." A wry smile lifted her lips, and now, Sakura remembered the times that she _had_ helped. "Even though I'm still behind him, I'm so much better now."

Chikaku smiled. "That's all I wanted to hear."

00000

A scream vibrated throughout the walls of the basement, the soft whirring of a machine completing the spectrum of tones. The screams slowly died down, and soon after, the machine stopped. A pale, feminine hand rested on a rounded chin, thoughtful green eyes looking worried as they gazed at the floor.

"Oh my," she murmured, expelling a large breath through her pink lips as they quirked into a pout. "Did I kill him?" She paused, staring hard at the man. "Hm, I suppose I'll have to speak to Samanji about this."

Izanami eyed the man lying on the floor, mouth open and eyes shut painfully. He was unconscious, hence the saliva that dripped onto the floor and the rigid posture paralyzing his body into a fetal position. He was mildly convulsing, and Izanami's eyes could see the fever heating his shocked body.

She sighed and inspected her nails, bored with the procedure of it all. It always happened this way, and she really wanted a change. Samanji would torture both males and females, but the majority of the medical nin they caught were female. It did serve Samanji's sadistic tastes for torture, though, and it kept him satisfied.

Still, Izanami was not as psychotic as her partner. Her pleasure lay more in watching a person's eyes. Their eyes told her everything. She liked to watch the emotions flittering through their eyes, to see the fear, then understanding, then hope right before she had extracted the last bit of chakra they would give. It gave her a strange sense of gratification, knowing that she was in control of their minds. While Samanji liked to dominate a person's body—rape for women and torture for men—Izanami preferred the subtle approach of playing on a person's mind.

And speaking of Samanji…

The man of her thoughts entered the door, dark eyes sparkling with pleasure. Izanami scowled, but shrugged him off with a wave of her hand. "Have fun with her?"

Samanji licked his lips, a wicked smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "She was good. Not a lot of resistance, but she still cried and begged…"

Izanami held up her hand. "I don't want to hear it, Samanji. You know that's not my thing."

The tanned ninja shrugged, but Izanami caught his eyes and held him in an intense green stare. She didn't notice his shirtless chest or the way his powerful muscles moved beneath his skin. Her harsh glare had eyes only for his soul, and she could see the fear in his dark eyes. Her mouth hardened, her eyes turning a sickening, deadly, poison green. "I want you to stop going so hard on them. You waste a lot of their chakra, and I need to store it."

Samanji broke her gaze, rolling his shoulders to calm himself down as he challenged her with his own stare. "I'll do whatever I want with them."

"Fine," Izanami purred. "But I'm sure the Boss wouldn't mind. I mean, she wouldn't mind getting less chakra if it means you can jerk off, ne? After all, we know how forgiving she is…"

The sadistic man paled at the thought of his Boss, and his fear-filled eyes rested on Izanami. "You wouldn't."

"Oh?" the green-eyed woman chuckled quietly, the sound sending shivers down Samanji's spine. "Wouldn't I?" she asked as she walked closer, hips swaying to the cadence of a beat only she could hear. She stopped in front of him, hands whispering over his shoulders. "You know me… ne, Samanji-san? You know I would."

Samanji backed away before the power of Izanami's eyes entranced him. She and the Boss were the only women he truly feared. Izanami was not exceptionally gifted, except in the power of her eyes. She could mildly entrance, and put a subtle hold on a person's mind. It was so subtle that most didn't even notice. And with those eyes, she also had the slight power to detect a person's chakra and how it affected certain parts of the body. That was what made her deadly, and also perfect for this job.

The green-eyed woman flicked her hair behind her shoulder, patting Samanji's shoulder. "There we are. Good boy." A wicked smile teased her lips, and she walked back to the man lying on the floor.

"Go put him in a cell. His chakra will replenish about half of his system in just a few hours. After that time, I want him back over here." Her voice was fir and authoritative, and Samanji nodded before she continued. "I'll get the girl. I don't trust you with her. You might… do something else."

The man didn't say anything; he just quietly walked over to the unconscious man, hefting the limp body over his broad shoulders. Samanji refused to look at his partner as he passed, his chest clenching in that hated manner. He hated feeling fear. He _hated_ it. All of his life, people—especially his father—had instilled fear into his mind, and it had been a hard habit to break. Still, this fear wasn't so bad, the other fear he had endured as a sort of torture… That was why he was here now, in this organization.

Izanami turned, walking into the room that Samanji used for his "torture." The girl was trembling, her breathing ragged and her hands clutching weakly at a linen sheet in order to cover herself. Izanami's eyes trailed over the girl's auburn hair, dark eyes, soft body, pale skin. "The perfect specimen" as Samanji called it.

"Please…" the girl begged, her body delicately convulsing in fear. Her eyes were wide and pained, and Izanami felt disgusted at Samanji. Granted, what she did wasn't necessarily better, but at least she never made a victim suffer more than what was required.

"Please," the girl repeated. "Please kill me."

The black-haired woman crossed her arms over her chest, eyes searching when she suddenly frowned. "You have no chakra."

The girl shook her head. "No. I'm of no use to you. Please… kill me."

A low growl sifted in Izanami's throat. Samanji had no business bringing back girls that were of no use to the organization. This poor girl was just an outlet for Samanji's incurable drive for sex. Within moments, Izanami had a syringe in her hand, a sickly green liquid filling most of it. The girl didn't even flinch.

"Look into my eyes. It won't hurt." Normally, this was something Izanami would never do. However, it _was_ against the rules to pick up normal civilians for any of the employees' wayward desires. And Izanami had experienced it as well. She knew the empty, useless feeling this girl had, and it was damn near frightening.

Using her mild abilities, Izanami took the girl into a place where there was no pain. The syringe slipped into her skin, the deadly fluids seeping into her veins and blood stream. In just a few seconds, the girl was dead.

00000

**A/N:** Yeah, so I know this chapter was boring… Well, like I said before, I think this chapter was horrible, but please review. I'd love to know what you guys think. Thanks for the dedication some of you guys have given this story! I love you all!

- wolf's paradise


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Wow… So a few people have told me that they expect lemons soon… Well, I'm going to have to disappoint and say that you just have to read the chapter and wait till the ending A/N to find out if I plan a lemon or not. :D I know… I'm so mean… lol

But I will just say that you all are in for a surprise in this chapter! I had so much fun writing it…

So, I know this chapter is a little early, but I start my first bit of college classes tomorrow, and I'm excited! I'm going to try to keep up with _Drowning Breath_ and _Lost in the Rain_ as much as possible, so please bear with me! I love my readers and reviewers, and I am so happy you guys like my story!

I dare you to love: You know… amazing question… I meant to write a little something just stating that, and then I forgot. So yeah. But she was pretty much playing with other kids and hanging out at the hospital.

The 3rd Valkyrie: Well, I'm glad you liked it so much. And for being my 101th reviewer, here's an update for you! lol

Anyway, I really did like writing this chapter. I think it gets the ball rolling for many things. And thanks to arianawithlove for the wonderful editing of this chapter!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

* * *

She squinted through the liquid downpour, blinking as many times as she needed in order to clear the water from her searching eyes. They roved everywhere, analyzing every tree, every space that might look abnormal. So far, she couldn't see anything. Yet Sakura knew he was there. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, she would always be able to decipher Naruto's chakra.

With a gasp, she whirled, ninjato clashing together as she blocked Naruto's sneak attack. They were both completely drenched, but had agreed that training in the rain would be good for both of them. It would help to stimulate their finer senses, forcing them to feel chakra, as well as the fighting ground around them.

However, Sakura was getting tired. Naruto might be able to train all day, but she didn't have the amazing stamina that he did. How her teammate had that endless well of chakra, she didn't know. Maybe it was Kyuubi, but she knew Naruto didn't utilize the immense power hidden within him. But no matter. Sakura shoved her tired body forward, hand flashing out.

Naruto dodged just in time, but not before her fist grazed his shoulder. He flipped back, gritting his teeth as he landed on the wet ground. Even if her fist had just barely touched him, she somehow had managed to hurt him. She was getting good.

Sakura flipped back, bending her knees as she landed and keeping the ninjato vertically in front of her. The blade faced toward the ground, and she plunged it into the earth, channeling her chakra through the receptive steel. Naruto back flipped, but the ground crumpled underneath him, forcing him to take off for the trees. A surprised gasp flitted from his lips, and his eyes found Sakura through the rain.

Down below, she was panting, her sharp green eyes glaring at her teammate. She grunted, tugging the sword from the broken earth. Rain slipped through her hair and into her eyes, but she knew if she moved it, Naruto would take that moment to do something, and she would be out of luck. Besides, if she concentrated on the fight, everything else faded away.

It was time to try something. Sakura was running low on chakra, and she knew she wouldn't be able to last much longer. She had to end this quickly, or else Naruto would win. She grunted, hurtling her sword into the tree where Naruto stood as she forced as much chakra into the blade as it would hold. It sliced through the tree with a sickening _crunch_, but not before cracking the entire oak into pieces. When Naruto flipped back, Sakura moved.

_Ox. Ram. Horse._

Sakura's fingers flipped through the signs. She searched for the chakra swirling in her belly, feeling it spread, pull, and contract as the image in her mind became reality. She breathed in deeply, holding on to the slight pull behind her bellybutton. Her eyes opened just as Naruto landed.

He stared at her, mouth closed, but no matter how hard the rain poured even Sakura could tell that Naruto was panting. The medic focused, letting her subtle genjutsu form as she powered toward her teammate. She thrust all of her remaining chakra into her fist and slammed it into Naruto's side. He gasped, doubling over, and Sakura smirked. Until…

Pop!

_Shit._

The pink-haired girl looked around, eyes frantically searching through the rain. She should have known! She should have known it was a clone! Naruto was her teammate! She should have known!

Cold, wet metal pressed against her throat, and she sucked in a breath as she backed against something hard. The rain made shirts flimsy and useless, and the curves of her back could feel the planes of Naruto's chest. Her insides quivered, and her breath came faster.

Naruto panted, and winced slightly, letting out a strained wheeze as he fought to catch his breath. It didn't matter that Sakura had destroyed just a clone. He had felt the power of her fist almost as if his actual body had been hit. His left arm tightened around Sakura's heaving chest, and he felt his gut clench again. It had only been three days since her parents had left, but his control was already extremely close to breaking.

"Good… job," he whispered breathlessly. "Sakura."

"But… I lost…" she winced, her body searching into her chakra reserves to compensate for the loss of her accessible chakra as well as the lack of air.

"Doesn't matter. You were… still good. Improving." His voice trembled, alluding to the pain in his side. "You… You got me good, Sakura-chan…"

Her breath hitched at the familiar name. "But… it was just a… a clone," she protested, her senses suddenly springing to life. It didn't matter that they were completely drenched from the rain. Every nerve shuddered with electricity, and she was distinctly aware of the body behind her. His breath was warm on her neck, and she shivered.

"But… I still feel… everything that they do…" Naruto dropped his sword, and carefully turned Sakura around to face him. She gulped, slowly raising her eyes until they met sky blue. She sucked in a breath, her panting having nothing to do now with the lack of oxygen.

The blonde couldn't look away. Her searching emerald eyes held him captivated, and he fought to hold on to what little control he still possessed. He could smell her, the sweet scent of cherry and rain mixing to tickle his nose with pleasure. A low simmer brewed in the pit of his stomach, and he felt a soft growl slip from his throat. Sakura must have heard it, because her lips parted, and she gasped slightly.

Kyuubi raised his head, sniffing at the air, and smiled viciously. Her scent was intoxicating, and she smelled better than anything his nose had tested in a long time. He concentrated, sending a bit of his chakra into Naruto's limbs. The demon knew his host was too considerate of Sakura to take initiative, but the demon wasn't. He knew that Naruto could feel him.

_Please… Kyuubi, I… I don't want to hurt her._

_You won't, Twerp._

_But… She… I… What if…?_

_My chakra won't hurt her. Even if a little slips in…_

His hand rose a bit, pushing some of Sakura's bubblegum pink hair away from her face. The rain had lightened up, but both were still soaked. Naruto gulped, hoping and praying that the girl in front of him wouldn't shy away. His palm gently cupped her cheek, and he saw Sakura's entrancing gaze shudder.

_But last time! Remember when—with Orochimaru—You know I—_

_I was angry. You were angry, Naruto._

_So… when I'm not angry…?_

_There's nothing to worry about… Just take the step… She won't run away…_

Naruto trembled. _How… How do you know, Kyuubi? I… I'm afraid…_

The demon chuckled. He remembered this exact feeling. Yes. Him. The awesome fox demon Kyuubi, lord of all bijuu, had been afraid to kiss a girl. He had been extremely nervous, and had almost missed, but he had simply grabbed her shoulders and crushed his lips to hers. She had definitely been a little more than ticked, and the fox knew that Sakura was very similar to that girl. This would require tact… and a bit of coaxing as well.

_You'll be fine, Twerp. Trust me._

_But I—_

_Trust me._

The jinchuuriki fought for a moment. _All… All right._

Sakura could see the war in his head. She could see the fear in his eyes, and knew that he still was the Naruto that she had known all along. He was afraid to harm her, afraid to get close, afraid to let his true feelings show lest she reject him. But there was that slight glint in his ocean eyes, a glint that told her many other things as well.

The palm on her face was warm despite the chilly rain, and she welcomed the heat radiating from Naruto's skin. His eyes entranced her, but it looked as if he were petrified to try anything, like she might hit him or something. That, however, was the last thing Sakura wanted to do. Naruto's intense stare held her captivated, and the way his body was pressed against her made her ardor increase.

But he wouldn't… Right?

Naruto allowed Kyuubi this one time. If Kyuubi failed, Naruto was never speaking to the demon again. He just needed a small push, and Kyuubi was his drug for the moment. The demon pushed a bit of chakra through Naruto's other arm, but before the power had sifted through his muscles, Naruto moved the appendage of his own accord. It cupped the other side of Sakura's face, and Naruto could feel her breath stop altogether.

_Lean forward, Twerp. But slowly…_

_All right…_

The jinchuuriki obeyed, bending down to slowly press his lips against Sakura's. It was a whisper of a touch, and Naruto surprised himself by leaning closer. Her lips felt just as they looked. They were soft, and tasted better than he could have even imagined. Fear suddenly jolted through his body like an electric shock. She wasn't responding. He started to pull away, but two strong, pale hands shot out and fisted into his shirt.

Sakura pressed back, finally past her shock and disbelief in order to think clearly. Her nerves pulsed constantly, feeling everything about the taller man in front of her as she moved closer to him. A small, grunted moan sifted from Naruto's strangled throat, and Sakura suddenly felt daring, opening her mouth slightly before closing it again.

It had the effect she wanted. Naruto leaned in further, wrapping his large hands around the back of her head and pulling her closer. He slowly moved his lips, challenging, coaxing Sakura to follow him. She sighed, starting a bit when she felt his tongue over her skin. She could barely taste him, and her body suddenly quivered, wanting to fully experience it.

When Sakura opened her mouth, there were no amazing fireworks or sudden wants of passion like all the books said there would be. There was just a slow, heavy heat connecting from her mouth to the warm hands on the back of her neck—the same intense heat that trickled down her neck and spread leisurely through her limbs.

Her lips moved against Naruto's, and he tasted like rain and ramen. Her fingers grasped onto his hair, and she tugged him closer, trying to urge him to kiss her faster. But his hands held her still, and he kept kissing her at the same agonizingly slow pace.

Naruto let his hands drift down her shoulders to rest on her hips. Kyuubi's chakra was no longer carefully directing his movements; Naruto's body seemed to react on its own to the girl in front of him, and his blood simmered in the base of his belly. He knew he shouldn't be kissing her, but she was like a drug, like an undeniable taste of sin.

The air around them crackled.

_Twerp… Careful…_

The blonde fought the haze in his mind. _W—What?_

_My chakra, Twerp. You're letting it out._

_I… I didn't think…_ Naruto's eyes suddenly widened. He felt the sizzling air around him, and he could feel the heat radiating off of Sakura's body. _I… I am!_

Naruto suddenly backed away, leaving Sakura in stunned silence once their lips had disconnected. She had felt the Kyuubi's chakra slowly leaking out, but if anything, it had made her body clench in anticipation. She looked into Naruto's eyes, hoping she wouldn't see regret. She was thankful there wasn't any, but he looked petrified.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan! Kyuubi's chakra…" he began.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto," she answered softly, a bewildered expression slowly changing the features of her face.

A sudden clap of thunder rumbled overhead, and Sakura jumped, startled from her study of Naruto's eyes. Lightning flashed in the sky, bathing the dark grey clouds in an eerie glow. Naruto glanced up, blinking rapidly to keep the rain from his eyes.

"We should get inside," he murmured.

Sakura nodded, forcing the adrenaline pounding in her veins to stop as she sucked in a long, relaxing breath. Naruto suddenly leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her before making a quick sign with his hands. Sakura felt a tug on her body, a strange sensation of being dropped, and when she opened her eyes, she and Naruto were in their room. Her stomach churned.

"You all right?" Naruto's brows furrowed as he watched her double over and clutch her stomach. He wanted to reach out to his teammate, but he restrained himself.

"Yeah," Sakura mumbled, voice trembling a little as she quelled the queasy rolling of her stomach. "No wonder I couldn't teleport. The sensations were definitely off." She gave a wry, shaky laugh.

Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah… It took me a while to get used to it. I threw up the first time."

A stronger laugh scratched from Sakura's throat, and she smiled at Naruto. "Well, I am the medic."

"True…"

"Oh, sorry."

"Huh? What are you sorry for?"

"Your clothes." The medic moved to her teammate, hands flashing through familiar signs before she placed her hand on Naruto's chest. Both blushed and looked away, Sakura starting to feel revived as the water was turned into extra chakra. She performed the jutsu on herself, then pointed to the bathroom.

"I'm going to change."

The blonde nodded, watching her as she stepped into the bathroom. His eyes stayed on her hips, mesmerized by the way they swung back and forth.

_Somebody's whipped._

_Wha—I—I am not!_

_No…_ Kyuubi argued. The demon smiled knowingly. _No, I think you are._

Naruto growled, entering the area where Kyuubi was caged. He glared at the smirk twisting the fox's lips. _I am not whipped._

_Whatever, Twerp._

_No, not whatever! Say I'm not whipped._

_I can't do that, and that's cause you are whipped. Trust me on this._

_Why would I trust you?_ Naruto grunted.

_Because… I'd know._ There was an ancient sadness in the demon's voice, and Kyuubi's eyes were drawn to the floor of his prison.

_How?_

Kyuubi's gaze snapped up. _You don't need to know,_ he snarled. A low growl sifted through his vocal chords before he caught Naruto with an intense red stare. _And I don't need to remember._

There was no mistaking the bitterness coating the demon's tone. Naruto didn't want to press it too much (even though Kyuubi was on the _other side_ of the bars and couldn't hurt him), but maybe he could get by with a few innocent questions.

_What was her name?_

And angry roar filled the cage as Kyuubi rose to all fours, shoving his face near the gold bars of his prison. He clawed at the metal, trying to reach out and touch Naruto. _No more questions, boy! I don't want to answer them!_

The jinchuuriki shrugged and backed a step, raising his hands in a defensive and surrendering gesture. _All right, all right. I just wanted to know her name._

A low grumble echoed in the empty spaces of the room, and Kyuubi shifted. The demon sat, hesitating a moment before resting his head on his paws. Minutes passed before Kyuubi heaved a sigh. _Her name was Emiko._

Naruto glanced up. _Emiko?_

_Yeah. The name suited her. She smiled a lot. I would have sworn it was permanently etched onto her face._ Kyuubi's eyes were distant, a sure sign that he remembered something. Naruto knew that something big must have happened for Kyuubi to be this upset about such a simple thing. Or maybe… this wasn't so stupid. Not to Kyuubi at least.

_Was she… you know… _Naruto fidgeted slightly. _A demon? Like you?_

Kyuubi scoffed, pride flashing through his tone as he turned his nose toward the sky. A bemused chuckle cracked through the demon's lips. _Like me? Twerp, there is nothing in this world like me._

Naruto chuckled. _Yeah, Kyuubi. There really isn't anyone like you…_

The demon sighed, closing his blood red eyes as he rested his head again on his paws. _Enough questions, Twerp. I'm tired._

The blonde knew that Kyuubi was done. Naruto wouldn't get anymore information, but his mind still whirled the conversation at the forefront of his brain. Kyuubi hadn't said that Emiko was a demon, but his last comment had basically negated that fact. The fox had pretty much said that she wasn't a demon. Naruto sucked in a breath.

She was human.

Kyuubi, the powerful, nine-tailed demon fox that had terrorized a whole village had fallen in love with a human.

If Naruto didn't remember the sorrow in the demon's voice, the boy would have laughed at the irony of it all. Who would've thought that Kyuubi had been whipped by a mere human girl?

"Naruto?"

His eyes flew open, and the cage tunneled away, bathing him in momentary darkness before he seemed to open his eyes again. Sakura sat across from him on his bed, a concerned look on her face. She quickly pointed to her bed in which she used to sleep. Naruto followed her gaze.

"Kaori's sleeping."

And there the little girl was, sleeping soundly, her small frame tucked securely underneath the covers. "Oh," he murmured. He hadn't even seen the sleeping girl when he and Sakura had come inside.

"Were you talking to him?"

Naruto didn't need to ask to know to what his teammate was referring. "Yeah…"

"It's been almost an hour, you know. I was starting to get worried." The concern on her face was genuine, but she seemed shy, especially if the tone of her voice were any hint at all.

"Oh… sorry about that." He looked at Sakura, noticing that she was ready for bed. But he soon realized that if he stayed put, she'd have to sleep on the floor. Unless…

_Do it._

_I thought you were tired,_ Naruto scoffed.

_Whatever, Twerp. Just do it._

The blonde looked down, then nervously held Sakura's gaze. "Well, er… you can… You can sleep with me… if you want," Naruto stuttered, his face heating in a violent blush. He was sure that Sakura could see, and he felt his blood pressure heighten.

Sakura looked away, but quickly looked back, unable to hide the slight quirk at the corner of her mouth. "Sure… Sure, Naruto."

_Oh, God, I'm dreaming._ There was no way in hell that Sakura would agree that easily to _sleeping_ in the _same bed_ with _him_. And yet here she was, smiling at him a bit and leaning forward so she could move.

_Shut up and pay attention, Twerp._

Naruto lay down, watching with wide eyes and bated breath as Sakura crawled toward him. Adrenaline pounded through his veins as he remembered what her father had first insinuated. His eyes frantically moved over her face, then down to study her as she came closer.

Instead of her normal red plaid pants, she was wearing an old pair of grey sweats with a large grey T-shirt. In fact, the shirt was actually too big on her. The neckline slipped, exposing one creamy shoulder. Naruto gulped, his mind racing with possibilities as all his blood raced to his belly. Slowly, Sakura lay down, facing her teammate. Her cheeks flushed and she glanced away, her right hand twisting the T-shirt tightly.

Suddenly, Naruto's eyes widened, and he gasped. "That's… That's _my_ shirt!"

A furious blush coated Sakura's cheeks, and he could feel the slight spike in her chakra—that scintillating, cool chakra that swirled and bunched around a wound when she healed him… The way it calmed his anger and made him shiver…

The blonde shuddered slightly, fighting against those thoughts in his mind that made his lower regions quiver to life.

"Well, you see, that was the only T-shirt I had, and I accidentally ripped it the other night when I had a bad dream…" Sakura explained.

"It's… It's fine," Naruto choked out, eyes roaming over her small frame inside his large shirt. If anything, it made her look even better. And he couldn't shake the excitement and satisfaction he felt that _she_ was wearing_ his_ shirt, almost as if she belonged to him.

"Um… I'm going to go so sleep, Naruto…" Sakura saw her teammate nod, and she turned over, her back in Naruto's immediate line of sight. Within an hour, the blonde was sound asleep, but Sakura wasn't so lucky. Her body was vibrating with life, and the heightened hum would not die down. She had no idea why her body was reacting like this… She was only sleeping beside Naruto. She had done it many times. But this time, he had just kissed her…

She grunted and sat up, eyes blankly searching the darkness. Her teammate was stuck in her mind, and he wouldn't leave. It didn't help that he was right behind her, the small of his back touching the same part on her. What was wrong with her? She had never felt this way with anybody—not even when she had still had a crush on Sasuke.

Sakura's eyes finally rested on Naruto. As if he could feel the heat of her stare, he turned onto his back. The medic flushed when she saw that Naruto's shirt had ridden up as he slept, and the area from his pecs to the top of his sweat pants was bare. But there was something else…

The Kyuubi's seal was something that she had never seen before. Sakura had done her fair share of working with seals, especially since the medical field called for an adept knowledge in the jutsu. Her sharp green eyes barely saw the faded lines on Naruto's lower torso in the darkness, but she was drawn to them. She tentatively reached out, slowly and gently tracing the black lines of the swirl and the four other marks around it.

Suddenly, it hummed slightly, giving off a faint red glow. Sakura gasped and quickly drew her hand back, wondering if she had somehow activated something. She watched the glow brighten before fading to a soft, pulsing red. She knew quite a bit about seals, but this was a seal that was made by the Yondaime. No one (except the Sandaime and Jiraiya) had known how to perform the seals used on Naruto.

Yet the pulsing seal seemed to beckon her. She was mesmerized by the eerie red glow swirling slowly throughout each part of the seal, and she reached out slowly, wondering if the Kyuubi was planning to get out…

Well, if he were, she would stop him.

Her fingers brushed over Naruto's skin, and she felt a tingling in her fingertips that traveled to her arms and chest. Sakura leaned forward, the growing glow of the seal reflecting in her eyes. The medic gasped and cried out as she was thrust forward through a dark tunnel only to be deposited in a heap in a cold room. She grunted and stood, brows furrowing as she noticed the two inches of water covering the floor. Her head whipped around, eyes studying the elements of the room in awe.

The ceiling was so tall it was almost invisible. There was an eerie orange glow that lit the room, and the walls seemed to be made of metal, like some sort of plumbing facility with the pipes and leaking sewage. However, the liquid surrounding her feet didn't seem to be sewage. There was no smell, and it felt exactly like water. Sakura's eyes gazed before her, and widened in horror. No… It couldn't be…

Barred gates rose all the way to the ceiling, a small piece of paper with the word _seal_ on it holding the metal together.

_Kyuubi…_

"Hello, girl."

The sound resonated throughout the room, and Sakura spun around, her eyes frantically searching the dark places for the owner of the voice. She wouldn't lie and say that she wasn't petrified. She was near the nine-tailed demon fox in his true form—something at which she had only glimpsed when Naruto had been turned into the raging animal.

Only blackness filled the cavern behind the bars, but Sakura could feel the chakra, recognizing it as distinctly Kyuubi's. She was frozen on the spot; her heart raced in anticipation at the sight of the demon, yet her fears were slowly being overridden by something else—intrigue? Kyuubi's chakra, though powerful and detrimental, seemed to pull her toward him.

"Oh?" Kyuubi chuckled darkly. "I smell your fear, girl, as well as something else…"

The medic finally regained control of herself. "What's that supposed to mean?" she growled dangerously.

For the first time, Sakura was able to stare the actual demon fox in the face. She gasped and backed a step, eyes widening in horror. She was the size of one of his teeth! The large canines showing through black-lined lips pulled back into a wicked smile. Though Kyuubi's shape was mostly outlined, his red chakra still waved about him, the red aura painting the room in a dark, bloody red. Sakura stared at the two blood-red eyes, knowing that this demon was as vicious and bloodthirsty as the rumors had said he was. But there was something else…

"Your body is quite attracted to my host…" Kyuubi smiled. Sakura's face flushed, and she gritted her teeth. "Shall I say more, girl? And that is my host's shirt, is it not?"

She was speechless. "Why—You—I—"

Bitterness. Sakura's speech stopped right when the word came to mind. She had learned how to read Naruto. This demon was different, and yet for a split second, something had sparked in those heartless eyes, and Sakura didn't need anything to tell her that something had happened to the demon. What, she wasn't sure. But she wasn't sure she needed to know. It was Kyuubi's secret, after all.

"So what if it's Naruto's shirt?" she growled.

"You lied…"

"I did not!" she snapped, fists clenching by her sides, eyes narrowed dangerously. It didn't matter that this was the most powerful bijuu on the planet. She would not be made out as some desperate girl trying to be a whore to get what she wanted. "I ripped my shirt because of a dream I had last night!"

"Oh, the one where poor Naruto dies?" Kyuubi chuckled darkly, head moving closer to the bars.

"W-What?" she gasped. "How did you know that?!"

Kyuubi laughed. "Girl, you are in _my_ realm right now! I know everything."

"What about this?" Sakura challenged. _Hey! Think something!_ she told her Inner.

_Um… I'm going to kill that demon! Saying that I only got Naruto's shirt so I could smell him or seduce him… Ha!_ Her Inner continued her tirade, but Sakura didn't pay attention. She raised an eyebrow at the demon fox, waiting.

"You want to kill me."

"How—" Sakura started to yell, but Kyuubi cut her off.

"It's in your eyes, girl."

Sakura growled, lips curling up in a snarl. "I have a name."

"Oh?"

"Call me by my name, demon, or you'll regret it!"

"And if I don't?"

The medic tightened her fist, the action answer enough to what she would do. Kyuubi smiled wickedly, placing his paws near the bars, almost daring her to take initiative without the fact that he did something wrong. So far, she was holding her end of the deal.

"So… What happens if I don't call you by your name… girl?"

Just as promptly as he said it, Sakura gave a frustrated noise and rushed forward, powering her fist and slamming it into part of Kyuubi's exposed paw. The demon's leg tingled, feeling her chakra shutter through his system. Oh, it hurt… a little bit… but it was having a completely different effect on him. No wonder his host was taken by this little spitfire of a teammate.

"Haha!" Kyuubi chuckled. "You, my dear, have _amazing_ chakra."

Sakura wasn't naïve enough not to know what Kyuubi was insinuating. "Hentai!" she screamed, furiously attacking the paw with both fists.

Suddenly, her fists were stopped, and it felt as if Kyuubi was grabbing the front of her shirt, even though it couldn't be possible since his paw was so huge. She gasped and stared into the blood red gaze, the demon's heavy chakra freezing her to the place where she stood.

It was strange the way Kyuubi's chakra agitated her, getting underneath her skin. It was a primal itch that scratched just beneath the surface; she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. Kyuubi seemed to realize it, and bent down to her level.

"You are not afraid of my chakra…"

"N-No…" Sakura whispered breathlessly. It was utterly ridiculous! One minute she was furious and attacking the perverted fox, and the next her body was quivering with excitement, something she had never quite felt before. It was infuriating the way the demon seemed to control her, but it was even worse when it was Naruto.

"You like my host." The way Kyuubi said it made it seem final.

"Um… I…"

"It's either yes or no!"

"Ah! Y-Yes!" This chakra was driving her body crazy. She could hardly think.

"Would you give my host everything? Everything you have? All of you?"

Sakura's face flushed. "W-Well, I… I don't know."

Naruto was sleeping. He wouldn't know the difference. Kyuubi pulled some of his jailer's chakra, mixing it into the air around the medic in front of him. The girl gasped as her body shuddered, and he could sense the warm heat pooling in her belly. This girl was nothing like others. She was so much like _her_… So much like _her_…

Kyuubi wasn't sure what was really possessing him. Of course this girl would never be _her_, but his concern for his host? Unheard of! It was ridiculous that he was concerned for Naruto's safety, trying to make sure that no hearts were broken, especially not Naruto's. Only Kyuubi knew the extent to which this boy had suffered, and he didn't want Naruto to suffer. Not like he did.

"I know… I know you care about Naruto." Sakura's voice was soft, and it seemed as if she had finally controlled her quivering.

"What?" He let his chakra dissipate, freeing the poor girl from its influence. She breathed a sigh of relief and swallowed before turning her mint green eyes to his heated gaze. But the harshness of his gaze seemed to have worn off its surprise. She no longer shuddered when she stared. There was only a small shake, hardly anything at all.

"You care about Naruto. It's okay. I won't tell anyone. And you don't have to explain anything to me. I wouldn't hurt him. Not purposefully, anyway."

The demon nodded, tilting his head to stare curiously at the girl in front of him. She smiled slightly, the action lifting her entire face, and Kyuubi felt a small squeeze of regret in his stomach. If this girl turned out to be Naruto's mate, the boy would be in for the time of his life. He would also be one of the luckiest men alive. Girls like Sakura or Emiko—especially _her_—didn't come around every day.

"Sakura…"

Though surprised at the use of her actual name (and how he seemed to know it), the medic was tired now. "If it's all right, Kyuubi, I'd like to go to sleep."

The demon grunted, back to his old, scathing self. "Of course, princess. Whatever you want." This time, Sakura simply raised an eyebrow, mouth quirked and arms crossed over her chest. The demon chuckled, remembering how much _she_ used to do that. Kyuubi raised his paw, and Sakura disappeared.

Kyuubi sighed, eyeing the spot where she had left. Naruto had better snatch that girl up, because if he didn't, Kyuubi would make him.

Sakura gasped when she was suddenly back in the room, sitting next to a sleeping Naruto. She glanced around, wondering if it all was real. But she saw the fading glow of the seal, and realized that everything had happened. She groaned and flopped onto the bed, quickly turning over and closing her eyes.

_That was interesting…_

_Not now,_ Sakura groaned. _Trying to sleep here._

_Fine, fine, spoilsport. I'll shut up._

Sakura smiled gratefully.

_Until tomorrow._

The medic growled. _Fine! Just leave me alone! I want to sleep!_

_All right, all right! But Kyuubi is something else…_

_Yeah…_ A small, reminiscent smile quirked the corners of Sakura's lips. _He's one of a kind, you know…_

00000

It was dawn.

It was dawn, he was up, he was _on time_, and he was patrolling a forest _without_ his wonderful orange book in his pouch, an all time first for a ninja well known for his obsession with _Icha Icha Paradise_ and his habitual tardiness.

"Oi, oi…" The jounin sleepily scratched at his uncovered eye. "Remind me again why we're here exactly… _this_ early in the morning… and you haven't allowed me my book?"

"I don't like being ignored, Hatake-san, and besides… I smell something."

The summon fox planted his nose near the ground, sniffing the leaves and blades of grass underneath them. Kakashi sighed heavily, dearly wishing that he had his beloved books with him. Still, he couldn't help but be slightly annoyed with it all. He really wanted his books back.

"Really? I can summon dogs… They can smell, too."

Chisoku glared at the jounin, but Kakashi shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, following the fox as he carefully sniffed around them. Chisoku stopped, sitting on his haunches and cocking his head in confusion. The scent was faint, but it wasn't anywhere around here. Where was it coming from, then?

"Where do you suppose it's coming from?" the fox mused.

Kakashi shrugged. "How should I know? I'm not the one with super smell."

"Would you shut up about that?!"

"Ano, ano… No need to get your fur ruffled. Life without my precious books just seems to become a bit… annoying."

The fox scratched an ear, a frustrated growl vibrating from his throat. "Whatever." Suddenly, Chisoku froze, pointing his nose in the air. His wet nose moved, the delicate sensor taking in the unexpected change in the air.

"This way!" Chisoku blurted, darting forward into an all-out run. Kakashi groaned before following, having to work to keep up with the fox. He really wasn't that rude. All he wanted was to read his books, but he never purposefully ignored something extremely important.

And yet he had been separated from that which he held most dear.

Chisoku slid to a stop, furiously sniffing more of the ground along the way. His brow furrowed, and he looked into the distance. Though Kakashi was quite lazy and generally indifferent toward problems, he knew that this had become something serious. It was no longer a matter of sleepiness or being without entertainment. Something was _wrong_, and that damn summon fox had been right, even though Kakashi hated to admit it.

"This isn't good," Chisoku muttered gravely.

"Hai…" Kakashi whispered, squinting his eyes at the sight before him. It wasn't that he had never seen dead bodies before. He had seen plenty. Even mangled bodies didn't bother him. But these…

The summon fox gulped, sitting down before his legs would give way. A few similar things had happened to his clan when they had been terrorized by Manda and his followers, but he had _never_ seen anything this brutal before. It was straight from a horror story—one of which people told but never thought were true.

Two bodies were strewn—literally—across the narrow clearing. Skin was torn and hanging off of tree limbs and blades of grass, blood littered the ground in an erratic manner, limbs and organs had been ripped off or out, the heads were missing, and not one piece of the bodies were in its entirety.

Hands were scattered around to top off… well, something, and everything else was cut in segments. _Well, more like severed_, Kakashi thought with a wince. Arms were severed at the wrist and elbow. Legs were severed at the ankles, knees, and hips. It was nothing more than a bloody show of killing capability, and that was one reason why Kakashi felt more queasy than he thought possible.

The stench from the torn bodies was worse than normal. Kakashi glanced around, his sharp eye and senses finally catching up with him. He paused for a moment.

"Wait…" The jounin suddenly jumped into the trees, climbing higher until he found a branch suitable to his desire. He glanced down, eyebrow furrowing as he looked grimly upon the crime scene. "Chisoku… Come here."

In a few moments, the fox stood beside Kakashi, a gasp echoing in the silence around them. A glance was all they needed. Kakashi bit his thumb, hands flashing through a series of signs before Pakkun appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Pakkun. Get to Hokage-sama as fast as you can. This is a type A emergency. It requires her expertise in body identification. Do _not_ stop for anything."

"Hai, Kakashi-san," Pakkun saluted before rushing away.

"I can't believe it," Chisoku muttered.

"Neither can I."

It didn't matter that their stomachs turned at the gruesome sight. Their eyes were drawn to the erratic splashes of blood as well as the placement of the body segments. It had been no mere accident. They were _patterns_, a message that spelled out the extermination of someone extremely unlucky.

And the message echoed in Kakashi's mind, over and over until he doubted the image would ever be gone.

_She's next._

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"Wake up! Wake up! Sleepyheads, let's _go_!"

"N-No…" Sakura murmured sleepily, fisting her hands in the sheets and burying her head in her warm pillow. "To… tired…" Her mind wandered, taking her back near the edge of blissful sleep.

"Sakura-san! Naruto-san! Wake up!" Kaori continued to yell. The little girl had suddenly begun to jump on the bed.

The medic moaned and rolled over roughly, immediately slamming into something hard and warm. Her hands wandered around, finally grabbing onto a part of the sheet and pulling herself closer. Kaori's wake-up call faded as Sakura's tired mind tuned it out. Warm breath tickled her ear, but Sakura wasn't quite conscious enough to pay attention.

"Shutterup," a voice mumbled.

But somehow, Sakura understood. "Can't. Too energic…" A long arm plopped onto her side as a large hand rested in her hair, effectively pulling her closer. She moaned in protest. "S-stop m-moving…"

"S-Sakura…?"

"H-Hai…? N-Naruto?"

The two teammates promptly freaked out. Sakura threw the covers away and fell off of the bed as Naruto backed _through_ the wall. Screams sounded from the room that he had just fallen into as bits of rubble collected at his feet. Naruto hurriedly crawled through the hole, shouting apologies as the two girls occupying the room had begun to throw various objects at his unprotected back. No sooner had Naruto gotten through the hole when the girls had thrust some earth into the opening. _Iwa nins_, he thought ruefully. He rubbed his head for a minute before cautiously peeking over the edge of the bed.

He stared at Sakura's wide-eyed expression. Her chest heaved up and down with the force of her breathing, and Naruto noticed that part of the neckline had slipped off of one shoulder, as well as the hem getting bunched up and exposing a bit of her creamy stomach and hip. The blonde gulped as his control wavered.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan!" he suddenly yelled.

Sakura could do nothing but stare. She was shocked.

"Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Gomen!"

"N-Naruto…" she finally managed to start, even though her voice was so soft that Naruto probably hadn't heard her.

"Gomen! Gomen! Gomen!"

"Naruto," she said a bit louder.

"Gomen! Gomen, Sakura-chan! Gomen!"

"Naruto!"

"Gomen! Gom—"

"BAKA, SHUT UP!"

_Thwack!_

"Ow, ow, ow! Sakura-chan!"

"Bakanaro!" Sakura glanced at Naruto's face winced in pain, and sighed grudgingly. "It wasn't like anything happened, so stop apologizing."

Naruto nodded, but he felt a small pang of guilt settle in his gut. True, nothing had happened, but that still didn't take away the fact that he had dreamed about her. It hadn't been a nice fantasy (well, it had definitely been pleasurable for him), but his body had never been jolted like that. When her hand had accidentally grazed over his pants, it had felt like a chidori shock had bolted through his body. Naruto's mind wandered, and he could still remember the feeling.

_I wonder…?_

_Mm… yeah… Do you think, Kyuubi?_

_Don't know, Twerp. One way to find out. You know…_

_But I—_

_Like this?_

Like the perverted fox that Kyuubi truly was, the demon decided to torment Naruto, putting his paws around Naruto's thoughts so they only drifted in one direction: the way Sakura's hands would feel if she ever touched him. And, like the teenage boy that Naruto was, he responded.

His knees shook.

His eyes grew wide.

His heart stopped.

His blood boiled with lust.

And a shocked gasp turned into a low groan.

"Naruto?" Sakura's body was on high alert. This feeling… What was it?

The blonde was jolted from his daydream. _Damn fox! Hentai!_

"Naruto, what's the matter?"

"We… We have class today," he managed breathlessly, thanking his mind for coming up with the excuse so quickly. And it worked. Sakura bustled around the room, hurrying Kaori as she herself hurried to get ready on time. As for Naruto, he continued to stare into space, hoping his traitorous body would calm down.

_You're a damn pervert, Kyuubi._

The fox grinned wickedly and simply shrugged. _Well, at least it told you one thing._

_Oh? What was that, fox?_

_You want her. Badly._

Naruto growled. The damn fox was right.

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Sakura could hardly stand it. The air between her and Naruto was tense and crackling as if it were a live wire, and it was frustrating the medic to no end. She had quickly told Kaori to have fun and play with a few of her friends that day, but no matter how hard Sakura tried to focus on the little girl as she and Naruto sat in class, the blonde would creep back into her mind.

It was the strange vibe radiating from his skin that had her body stiff and alert to every move that Naruto made. When he shifted in his chair, Sakura's body jumped in anticipation, every sense keyed to the teammate next to her. When his hand or head would move, the air would stir with his scent, and her nose would twitch.

Of course, being the medic Sakura was, she knew what was happening. However, that didn't make it any better. Naruto had to have done something to her, but the more she looked back and rewound the memories of their stay in Amegakure, the more Sakura was sure that Naruto hadn't done anything to her. Besides, she knew deep down that Naruto would never trick her like that.

She growled in frustration, and she didn't even have to look. She could _feel_ Naruto's eyes on her, studying her, going over every curve and portion of her body. And of course, Sakura being Sakura, was not about to let Naruto know that she secretly liked the attention.

"What?" she whirled on him, voice snapping in a furious whisper.

The blonde jumped. "S-Sorry, Sakura-chan," he murmured, hurriedly averting his eyes and playing with a small chunk of wood on the desk.

The medic placed her forehead on her right hand. She wouldn't learn anything in class today. Naruto was way too much of a distraction, not to mention that even if she chose a seat away from him (she had tried that once, and the plan had actually backfired), it wouldn't help at all.

She groaned softly.

Naruto twitched and winced.

Sakura turned and glared. "Would you stop fidgeting, bakanaro?" she whispered angrily.

"Ah… Gome—"

"Sakura-san? Naruto-san?"

All eyes in the classroom turned to stare at them. Naruto gulped.

Tadashi Daichi still stood in front of the classroom, but his black eyes were trained on Naruto and Sakura. The medic gazed at Daichi, green eyes challenging his authority. It wasn't that Sakura had a death wish or a sudden bolt of rebellion. She just really did not like Daichi. His stringy red hair bugged her (for some reason or another), as did his know-it-all attitude.

"Do you have something to say, Sakura-san?" Daichi challenged her back, a small growl echoing after his words.

"No, sir."

"Then be quiet." Daichi enunciated each word, leaning forward slightly before standing back up. His right hand held a long stick, and he tapped against his other hand. "Class, what do I usually do to someone who is _talking_ in class?"

Most of the Amegakure chuunins that knew Daichi gulped. Daichi held Naruto and Sakura's gaze, the look in eyes searching just a little bit too deep.

"Sakura-san, what jutsu were we just speaking of?"

If only she possessed Gaara's third eye. That would definitely come in handy, but thankfully, Daichi wasn't being especially smart at the moment. From the slight pattern of the signs of the blackboard behind him, Sakura was able to guess.

"It's a water jutsu."

The class sniggered. Daichi gave them a sharp look, and they quickly quieted.

"Yes, but what _precise_ jutsu are we talking about, Sakura-san?" Daichi murmured through clenched teeth.

"The Water Wall."

"Incorrect!" Daichi shouted, and the entire class gasped.

Sakura stood from her chair, the force of her action knocking her seat onto the floor. Her hands viciously gripped the sides of the desk. "It is not! _You_ just don't want me to be right!"

"Do _not_ speak to me that way, Haruno-san! I am your superior—"

"And a biased one at that!" Sakura yelled. "The pattern: horse, rat, ox, dragon, snake… That's all a serious part, and the ending signs to the water wall!"

"But don't a lot of other jutsu end with these symbols?"

"Not the ones we've covered in class." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. She should know. She had gone over the class' small textbook tons of times, and had even stayed up at night to get homework done early.

"That's not what I was asking."

_Kill him_, Sakura's Inner seethed. _Just shut him up before I—_

"That is completely irrelevant, Tadashi-_sama_."

"Are you _mocking_ me, Haruno-san?"

"Am I?"

The class sniggered again.

"Shut up!" Daichi yelled, and the class hurriedly quieted.

"Don't bother," Sakura cut in, furiously gathering her books together. She stood tall, back stiff and teeth clenched from being so angry. "I'm leaving." Sakura walked to the door and was about to grab the door handle when Daichi stopped her.

"Haruno-san, I will not allow—"

"Tadashi-sama," the medic interrupted. "I will send money down to the office to pay for your broken door."

Daichi gave Sakura a stunned expression. "What door?"

A small quirk turned up the corners of Sakura's mouth as she looked down at the ground. "This one." With that, Sakura opened the door and slammed it shut, channeling her chakra through the hollows in the wood's surface. The door cracked and crumbled into pieces, while the wood and cement around the door splintered, yet didn't break. Sakura walked as fast as she could away from the classroom, sliding down a wall to breathe and think.

_I'm dead. I am so dead._

_Nonsense! He was being an asshole to us, and we put him in his place!_

Sakura sighed. _But I've _never_ walked out on a class before. I've never disobeyed a teacher, much less challenged their credentials. I don't know why I suddenly had the urge to… to…_

_Well, we're getting smarter. And you know your textbooks! He just hates us… for some reason…_

_I don't know why. He doesn't normally treat Naruto with this much contempt even, and that's saying something._

_No_. Sakura's Inner paused for a long time. _Remember? With Kaori and the meeting we snuck in to see? He showed his hatred for Naruto. He was simply making excuses when he said that he didn't hate our Naruto._

_Yeah, I—Wait! Naruto is not "our Naruto."_

_Here we go again…_

_I'm serious! Just stop with the—_

"Sakura?"

The medic jumped when she looked in front of her. Naruto was rocked back onto his heels, squatting down so his face was level with hers. She nodded and took Naruto's offered hand, brushing invisible dirt off of her clothes in order to soften her surprise at seeing him.

But before either teammate could speak a word, Kakashi popped in between them. Both were about to berate the jounin, but the look on his face told them it was no time for jokes. Sakura was the first to ask.

"Kaka-sensei… What's the matter?"

Suddenly, Naruto growled. "Sensei, what is that _thing_ doing here?" Naruto wasn't about to let some random talking fox near him or Sakura, especially after that time in the woods…

Chisoku growled back, fur ruffled at the insult. "I could ask you the same thing, _demon_." Chisoku turned his nose up, the action clearly showing that he looked down on Naruto. The fox felt a pair of eyes and looked up, his gaze meeting surprised green.

The summon fox didn't have girl waiting for him in his clan. Not that he could ever have something with the pink haired medic in front of him, but he wasn't stupid. Chisoku knew a beautiful specimen when he saw one. He blinked his red eyes, almost wishing that she was a pretty, pale fox.

A low snarl, the pitch too deep and rough for the other ninja to hear, vibrated from Naruto's chest, and the blonde shifted, the action bringing him slightly in front of Sakura. The summon fox knew the gesture well, even if he refused to believe that the boy had already staked his claim on the medic.

_She is so not_, his eyes challenged back.

_Mine_, Naruto snarled. The deeper, double note in the growl took Chisoku aback. It was none other than the double note of a leader, of an alpha male claiming what was his right. And no doubt the other note came from…

_Kyuubi…_

Kakashi sighed and scratched his head. "Ne, ne… No need to get all testy about everything. Naruto, quit looking like you're going to kill the fox."

Chisoku let a deep rumble sift through his chest, clearly annoyed by the way that Kakashi seemed determined not to say his name.

Though Naruto didn't want to back down, he left the fox with a simple look, one that changed his blue eyes into a shimmering, demanding red. Kakashi sighed again, knowing now why Shikamaru used the word "troublesome" so often. "Demo… I think we should go outside."

Once there, Naruto put his hands in his pockets, knowing something was desperately wrong with Kakashi, no matter how well the jounin managed to hide it. It was starting to scare Naruto. If there was something that had seriously bothered Kakashi of all ninja, then something was definitely and horribly wrong.

Kakashi turned to Sakura, face grave. The medic gasped and leaned away, a sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. And of course, Kakashi being Kakashi, didn't hesitate to tell her the truth.

"Sakura… Your parents are dead."

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**A/N:** Well… whadda ya think of that?! Mwahahahaaaa! Well, I do kinda feel sorry for her parents cause in almost every single story her parents are either bad and abusive or they die… and unfortunately, it's no different for me.

Hmm… well, about that lemon, too… There will be a lemon, just much much later. Like chapter 30 later lol. Thanks for reading this next installment! Until next time:

- wolf's paradise


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Wow, thanks for all the reviews, guys! You guys are really all awesome! I'm so happy with how this story is going, and your support is very much appreciated. I would also like to thank you for the opinions on that story that I wanted to post. It is actually only seven chapters.

And I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out! Just know that this story might take longer to update, but it will never stop getting written!

Well, here's my new chapter (as you all know, lol). I found most of this chapter fun, especially the beginning. I'm not sure why, even, but it was. Took me long enough to freakin write it, but here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Twelve

* * *

A small fire crackled in front of him. The rock on which he sat was uncomfortable, but the trees around this section of the forest were well tempered to hide his figure from anyone else's view. The air smelled of putrid, burning flesh, and it filled his nose and watered his eyes. But he really didn't bother with any of it. He was thinking, and he was not a thinking man. He liked action, and plenty of it, especially if blood and pain were to follow. His partner didn't know how crazy he was, but he knew he was the cruelest of them all.

Yet the eyes… Dead eyes haunted him.

He quickly stuck his hand in the fire and closed those disturbing eyes. Why? Why hadn't these two just given him the information he wanted? They knew they were going to die. He had promised them that much, and he never broke his _important_ promises. And yet they had remained silent.

They were silent now as well. But he wasn't seeing them. Not really. They're death had been so… _predictable_. It was quite boring. Not even the sight of their burning, lobbed off heads made it more fun. Where was the resistance—the joy in taming and breaking something wild? It was no fun unless they fought so sweetly.

But his best catch would be soon. She had to be soon.

He looked at the shriveling heads, thinking of the clever and artful way he had warned those protecting her. And of course, they would fall into place in his plan. Most ninja were predictable, and unchanging, and it was very easy to determine what their course of action would be. And soon… soon he would see her.

A small whimper to his right caught his attention. He glanced over, but she wasn't awake yet. Still…

His lips twisted wickedly. So what if the boss didn't like his on-the-side pleasure? It wasn't like he brought them to the headquarters. There was that one girl, but upon her death, he knew he had been warned. And whatever threat Izanami spoke, she would carry it out.

So he didn't have his special room. It wasn't a big deal, just so long as he made sure there wasn't any evidence.

He knelt down beside her, sifting his hands through her tussled blond hair. She was pretty, but very ordinary. There was nothing special about her. No chakra, no amazing ability… She would probably fight, but it would only feel like a playful slap. She was already undressed, so that was a plus. Besides, no one was here…

Black eyes slid to focus on the burning heads. It almost felt like he was being watched, but then it didn't matter. They were dead.

He dislodged his pants, slowly slipping inside of her as she slept. He gave a great sigh of relief, his longing and need finally being fulfilled. It took only a moment to adjust (it had only been two days ago since that incident with Izanami), but he suddenly frowned. She was looser than he had expected.

So, she was practiced. Excitement fluttered through his veins. He would have so much fun. And his fun would be her punishment. He shuddered in pleasure as just the thoughts stirred his blood.

She made a small sound, and he rolled slightly, enjoying the feeling of being inside of her, even if it wasn't the one he wanted. He made a few small, leisurely thrusts, the pleasure and excitement almost too much to bear. But he could. He could bear it. He had before, and he would bear it for much, much longer as he had his fun with her.

Her body moved—just slightly—but she rolled with him, her legs unconsciously tightening. Her hips cantered to meet his, and his smile grew as his sparkling eyes fixated on her breasts. They were bigger than the ones he wanted, but he had no doubt that even if this girl's were bigger, the other one tasted so much better.

And with that, he leaned down, opening his mouth and breathing on the girl's exposed flesh. She moaned slightly, an extremely pleasured sound, and he stopped. Well, that wasn't right. She shouldn't be having fun.

He angled his hips, and thrust his body into hers, the move sharp and commanding. She gasped, and her eyes flew open. Pale eyes were deliciously unfocused as the pleasure slowly awakened her senses, even though her body was on high alert. She arched her back unconsciously as she registered the sensations, and she shuddered.

The pale gold of her stare focused on his face, and he could feel and _smell_ the fear suddenly pouring off of her body. Ah… now _that_ made his limbs shiver. She blinked furiously, clearing her eyes. Once his face clicked in her mind, she put her hands behind her, trying to back out on him. He couldn't have that, now could he?

Hands flew out as they grabbed her forearms, effectively pulling her support out from underneath her. Her back hit the ground, pushing her hips against his and setting a new angle, one that obviously pleasured her. She cried out, her back curving into his bare chest. Her body shuddered, clenching around him.

She shouldn't be feeling pleasure. That was for him and him alone!

He growled and thrust deep, and this time, her pleasured cry was laced with pain. He smiled, repeating the action, his fingers digging into her arms as he penetrated her again and again. She convulsed again, this time in pain, and her arcing back was an attempt to get away. But she hadn't come yet. Not yet. But she would—again and again, and this time, it would be because of sweet, delicious _pain_.

He split her knees, the sound of her sharp, tortured gasp exciting his entire system. He plunged into her viciously, letting her know that he was in full control. For a moment, she pushed against his chest, her whimpered cries spurring her to do something against this man taking her.

An evil chuckle rumbled from his chest, and he roughly lifted her up, driving into her as hard as he could. Tears mingled at the corners of her eyes and drifted down her cheeks. Her pain would be his pleasure. He could tell she was practiced at this, and he would use that until he was satisfied.

Within a long hour, she finally gave into the agony. Her cries echoed through the forest, but no one heard her.

No one heard her pleas as Samanji slowly killed her.

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Naruto winced as Sakura put another shirt into a pile so she could seal it into a scroll. She should be angry. Furious. She should be throwing her shirts onto the pile with as much vigor as she possessed. But she wasn't. There was no inflection in her movements, no emotion in her eyes as she methodically threw one shirt after another.

Why? Why wasn't she angry?

"Sakura…" Naruto murmured.

She trembled. He shouldn't be doing this. His voice was troubled, worried, and so full of concern. He was going to make her cry with how far he had come from when they had first gotten here. His caring was going to make her cry, and she had promised! She had promised…

_We… We did… We told him that we wouldn't…_

_I know…_ Sakura clenched her teeth together when Naruto wasn't looking so she could quell the tears threatening to spill. _I know I promised him… I know…_

_We _can't_ cry…_

_Stop it! You aren't helping,_ she muttered miserably.

She had to keep her cool. She had to appear fine. If she cried, Naruto would worry much more than he had to. He didn't need to worry about her safety, even if Kakashi had let her see the gruesome crime scene involving her parents. Sakura shuddered, the images causing her spine to tingle. Her family… the only family she had… was dead.

_As is everyone else,_ her Inner reminded her.

_And uncle…_

_He was one of the few to understand the way we operate…_

_It's a lot like Naruto and Kyuubi. They almost seem to act as one being, but I can't seem to understand Kyuubi. Why was he questioning me about what I thought of Naruto—and my intentions? (Whatever they are…_ she muttered in an afterthought.)

_Naruto's chakra has mixed with Kyuubi's. I think that's why we reacted to him. Plus… I think that we think he's pretty cool._

_Hey—_

"Sakura…"

The medic gasped, startled out of her thoughts. She whirled to face Naruto, only to turn right back. The look on his face spread guilt through her core. She had to show him she was okay. She had promised him she wouldn't cry or be a burden anymore, and she would keep it. She had to show him that she was strong, even if all she felt like doing was falling apart.

She turned away, forcing the tide of emotion in her body to subside. It was surprisingly easy; where had she learned that?

_Tsunade-shishou…_

_Oh yeah._

The busty woman had made sure that Sakura knew how to shut down her emotions. It was amazing how the number one medic could tell if someone had simply stopped feeling for a moment—after all, Sakura had realized that Tsunade must have been forced to do that due to her losses.

And in trying situations, Tsunade had made sure that Sakura possessed that same ability. It hadn't been easy, but it had definitely been useful, especially when healing someone and the action required all of her focus. She couldn't be worried about the patient's feelings, or even of a family's feelings when their life was so close to being taken or they had numerous injuries.

So Sakura did that now. She shut herself down, relaxed her jaw, and stiffened her spine. They were only visuals, but they all helped to reinforce the fact that she had to shut down her feelings. They couldn't get in the way. Naruto couldn't worry.

But the blonde noticed the signs. They were the first signs that he had used to help distance himself from those closest to him. What was she doing?! After she had worked so hard to help him, she was just going to do the same thing to herself?! He knew she was upset. He could tell; he could _feel_ it.

This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. It should be different. Why was she doing this? This wasn't like her. She couldn't have changed so quickly… right? But he knew it was possible. It had happened to him, hadn't it?

She finished packing, and started walking away. He felt anger swell through his blood. She shouldn't even be going back to Konoha. She could be killed, or fall into a trap that someone from Takai had orchestrated. He, Kakashi, Sakura, and Eiji had all agreed that it was the work of Takai. She could get hurt!

"Sakura?"

She didn't turn, but her stride stopped. "I'm fine, Naruto." Her voice was firm and cold as she walked away, and Naruto scoffed.

"Idiot," he muttered, looking after her angrily. "You never were a good liar."

00000

"You can't go alone."

"Kakashi-sensei." Sakura forced her voice to retain a cold and firm inflection. "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone to come with me."

The jounin sighed. "Ne, Sakura. It's not on my orders. Tsunade-sama instructed that you have someone go with you." When she crossed her arms and shifted from one leg to another, Kakashi held up both hands. "Naruto will not be going with you. Chisoku and I need him here for more training."

Chisoku sat on his haunches to emphasize the point, Naruto growled slightly, the sound too low for anyone but Chisoku to hear. The red fox didn't flatter himself enough to think that Naruto was simply not happy about his future training partners. Chisoku knew that the Kyuubi container didn't like the fact his teammate was leaving without him.

Sakura nodded, and looked at the four teachers and Amekage Eiji standing around them. Hiroyuki stepped up, and turned to Eiji. "Amekage-sama. Allow me to send my pupil Kazukiro Naito along with Haruno Sakura. I believe it will be a good match."

At the word "match," Sakura saw Naruto's spine stiffen, even if she knew that Naruto understood what Hiroyuki meant. Her green eyes flicked through the teachers, but her eyes rested on Daichi. Seiichi was studying Kakashi as if he could simply receive information through his eyes. Akane had a slight pout on her lips when her eyes twitched Naruto's way, but her lips twisted into a wicked smile when she glanced at Sakura.

But Daichi… His black eyes studied Sakura, watching her every move. When she would catch him looking, his eyes would dart away, but she could still see the suspicion in his eyes. Each time the black orbs would look at Naruto, Sakura felt a shot of anger at the disgust in Daichi's eyes. When that disgust was turned on her, Sakura focused on Hiroyuki's words and lifted her chin, silently challenging Daichi. He gave her an uncomfortable feeling. It didn't matter that he was one of her teachers. She simply didn't like him.

"All right, Hiroyuki. I accept," Eiji smiled.

Naito, who had been standing in a place beside Hiroyuki that caused the medic to miss his face stepped forward slightly. He bowed, and the truth of his words was reflected in his eyes. "Thank you, Amekage-sama. I will make Amegakure proud."

"Good. Good," Eiji approved. He turned to Sakura next. "Kazukiro will be the only one with you. Just as he has the responsibility to look out for you, so you have the responsibility to look after him. Is all understood?"

Naruto saw the slight twitch in Sakura's fingers. If anyone knew about responsibility, it was Sakura. Not because he knew that she had been one of the connecting factors of Team 7, but because she thought she'd been too weak, and had forced the responsibility on herself.

Slowly, Sakura nodded. "I understand, Amekage-sama."

"Well, then," Eiji started, turning to make eye contact with each of those standing in the circle. Everyone, that is, except for Chisoku. Eiji wasn't quite sure what to do about a _talking_ fox. "Since everything has been sorted, Kazukiro-san, please—"

"Wait!" a small voice wailed. Sakura's heart jumped and then clenched. She knew that voice.

Kaori shoved through the circle of people, rushing over to Sakura. The girl quickly halted by Naruto, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his teammate. The six-year-old stopped in front of the medic. "Please don't go," she whispered.

Sakura knelt in front of Kaori. "Kaori… I must go." Pale hands cupped the small, childish face. "I'll come back to you. I promise. But for now, I must go."

Tears fell from puffy grey eyes. "But… That's what… That's what _she_ said, too…" Suddenly, Kaori enclosed Sakura in a tight hug. "Don't go, Kaa-san! Kaa-san, please don't go!"

Both Naruto and Sakura gasped and shared a look. Though they hadn't known Kaori too long, she was already attached to them. Naruto watched the girl pull back and look at him, eyes pleading. "Please, Ototo-san. _Please_ don't let Kaa-san leave…"

"K-Kaori… I…" Naruto couldn't finish. He couldn't lie to the little girl. He couldn't tell her that Sakura would stay, because his teammate wouldn't. It didn't matter that Kaori had called him Father. He wouldn't be able to keep Sakura from leaving. Not right now anyway.

Sakura turned Kaori so the girl was facing her. "Kaori. I have to leave for a little bit. But I _will_ be back. I _promise_. But you need to help Ototo-san while I'm gone, okay?"

The grey-eyed girl nodded gravely. "Okay, Kaa-san." The medic took Kaori in her arms and hugged her tightly. Kaori hugged her back, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.

Naruto watched the scene, and his heart clenched. He couldn't suppress the sudden want to have a family. He wanted to have a daughter or son or more than a couple kids, but it didn't make anything better that it was Sakura who was hugging Kaori. It was Sakura that he wanted; he wanted her so much it hurt.

When Kaori and Sakura pulled away, the girl burrowed her face into Naruto's pant legs. He picked her up and held her close. Blue locked with green, and Sakura quickly looked away, knowing Naruto saw too much. She knew that he could tell something was wrong and that she was hiding. How he knew, she wasn't quite sure. It was strange how well he seemed to know her.

Suddenly, Naito showed up. "Where've you been?" Sakura asked, her voice showing her annoyance.

Naito shrugged. "Well, while you were saying goodbye, I decided to get ready so I wouldn't slow you down." Along with his navy vest he wore a grey backpack, much like the one that Naruto wore. His black short sleeve shirt was torn at one end, and his black pants were tucked into his dark sandals. Sakura nodded in approval. He did a good job of packing for a trip.

"Let's go then."

Within a moment, the two disappeared.

00000

"Naruto! Pay attention!"

The demon container growled. It wasn't his fault he was distracted. Sakura's strange behavior worried him. She shouldn't be hiding like this—shutting herself off from him. She had helped him get through the things that hurt him; why couldn't she trust him to in turn help her?

"Naruto-san! Naruto-san!" a small voice called out.

Chisoku snarled, muttering something under his breath as he turned away from the blonde. Annoyed red eyes watched a small boy run over to Naruto. The blonde knelt down to the boy's level.

"What brings you here, Masuyo?"

The black haired boy shifted uncomfortably. "Sakura-san said goodbye to me and Kaa-san. Does that mean she's not coming back?"

"She's just leaving for a little while. She'll be back," Naruto assured. _If she doesn't I'm gonna find whatever bastard hurt her…_

A dark chuckle echoed in his mind. _Understandable. Completely understandable._

_Since when have you started laughing like that again?_

_You understand, Twerp. That is all that I ask._

Naruto's instincts stirred. _Kyuubi, what are you talking about? Understand what?_ Everything outside of his and Kyuubi's conversation died.

_When the time is right, you will know, boy. But all I ask is that you understand. And you will. I know you will…_

_Dammit, you cryptic old fox! Stop messing with me!_

_If it happened you wouldn't regret it. I never did, and I never will._

_Regret?! Dammit, Fox, I swear, if you don't stop—_

"Naruto-san! Naruto-san!"

Masuyo's worried voice carried through the walls in Naruto's mind. The blonde reached forward, trying to get back into the room with Kyuubi's cage. He had to figure out what the stupid fox was planning, or what he planned on convincing Naruto to do. He had find out!

_No! Kyuubi! Get back here!_

The laugh was dark and bitter, and Kyuubi's eyes glowed with hate. _You do not order me around, Twerp! Nor did they. They should have known… They were foolish—all of them! I'm glad I killed them…_

_Kyuubi, no!_

"Please, Naruto-san! Naruto-san!" Masuyo screamed.

The blonde stood with a start, looking around frantically at the field in which he stood. He saw it. He could have sworn he did. He couldn't have imagined the images that had flashed through his mind. "What happened?"

The small boy trembled.

"You were writhing on the ground, Naruto," Chisoku said in a hard voice. "A memory. He made you live through one, didn't he?"

"I… I guess…" Naruto wasn't too sure _what_ that had even been.

"Tell me."

"What?"

"Tell me about the memory."

His head hurt. He really didn't want to explain what he saw. He was still shaking, not only because of the horror, but because he had _felt_ that unquenchable anger patterned with great sorrow. He could still feel the sadness clenching in his chest and making it hard to breathe, and he could still feel the anger boiling through his blood.

_What the hell, Kyuubi?!_

_Well, we'll see if smart-ass fox knows anything about it._

"Tell me about the memory, Naruto," Chisoku ordered, getting to his feet and walking over to the blonde.

_Go ahead. Tell him, Twerp._

_O… Okay._

"Um…" A flash of memory made him wince. "Blood. Lots of blood. _So much_ blood." Naruto shook his head, trying to think back, trying to clear his mind so he could see what Kyuubi had shown him.

_Burning…_

"Fire. Lots of fire. Explosions. People… dying, fighting." Another wince. "Pain. _So much_ pain."

_Roar of fury…_

"He was angry."

_Tails crashed to the ground… He changed… Not human… Now to full height, full strength, full anger…_

"Ugh," Naruto groaned as the memory stopped. "He destroyed something. He was angry and had been hurt, so… he… destroyed it."

"It? What was 'it'?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know." He didn't want to answer any more questions. His head was pounding, and he knew it would take a while for the headache to disappear. But he seemed to suddenly remember the small boy beside him that looked completely petrified.

"I'm sorry, Masuyo."

The small boy fiercely hugged Naruto. "I'm just glad you're okay, Naruto-san," Masuyo whispered. "Kaa-san… She would like you to come visit us soon. She knows that Sakura-san had to leave, but she would still like you to come."

The blonde nodded, and looked up when a shadow crossed his face.

"I think that's enough for today, Naruto," Kakashi advised.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

The jounin teleported away, and Chisoku stepped over to Naruto, looking at the chuunin intensely. "What did he destroy? Can you remember?"

"Look, I—"

"Is he trying to get out? Destroy this town?"

"I don't know!" Naruto snapped. "I don't know, and right now I definitely don't care. All I know is that he destroyed something. It's not like I can demand things from him that he doesn't want to give."

"But… you are his jailer. Isn't there a way—"

"No, there isn't! Look, fox. I understand that I have to work with you. But I have enough going on without you acting all superior. I have to fight every single day to make sure that Kyuubi can't influence me to do something that I don't want to do. The least you can do is actually work with me."

"I do work with you."

"No, you don't, you dumb fox. You order me around like I'm nothing. Last I heard, Kyuubi really was the leader of your clan."

"You can't use that," Chisoku glared.

"I can do it, but I'm not going to. I'm going to earn your respect, like I have everyone else's."

"But—"

"It doesn't matter, fox. You don't know everything about me nor have you ever known Kyuubi. Don't pretend to know what goes on between us. But all I can ask is that you respect us. That's all I really want."

Naruto stood, gathering Masuyo in his arms.

"Your village hates you."

"Like I said, fox, don't pretend to know everything about me." The next words out of his mouth felt so familiar, and yet he knew without a doubt that they were true. "I have many friends in my village. Even a lot of the civilians say hello to me in the streets."

"But they don't touch you."

As much as he hated to admit it, Chisoku was right this time. They all hung out a lot, and many times it didn't require touch between him and the other teams. "That may be true, fox, but I know a few that don't care what I am. And that is worth more than you will ever know." With that, Naruto stepped off of the training field, Masuyo in his arms as he moved to take the small boy home.

Chisoku really wasn't one for sentiments. But the way Naruto spoke and the tones of his voice touched something within the fox. It wasn't like he had been popular or anything, but he knew what it meant to have those few really good friends.

"Well, boy… You may have already gained a bit of respect…"

00000

Today was not her day. Or week. Or month. Or even year. Well, maybe not that long, but it sure felt like it. Besides, this job was a twenty-four hour, seven days a week job. It wasn't like she had really signed up for this because she really wanted to work. Still, she wasn't doing a bad job, actually.

"You called for us, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade smirked at the lazy tone of the chuunin's voice. Hazel eyes glanced up to rest on three people in front of her desk: Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba. All of them had grown in both height and skill, and Tsunade couldn't have been more proud of the current generation tearing up the training grounds of Konoha.

"Yes, I did. You three are a new team for now, and your mission is to aid Naruto and Sakura in their mission in Amegakure."

Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets. "Ah… How troublesome. Isn't this their mission for a reason, Hokage-sama?"

"It is, Shikamaru, but your job is more in the background. Naruto and Sakura have enough on their plate for the moment, and are a bit too preoccupied to carefully track Takai's movements. That's where you three come in. Hinata and Kiba will be the trackers. You, Shikamaru, are the brains behind the operation."

After another muttered "troublesome," Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest. "And what exactly am I supposed to be going over?"

The Godaime frowned. "Kiba, Hinata. Get your things ready for the trip. Your mission starts in less than two hours."

Kiba scoffed, mumbling something along the lines of "genius's get to know everything," before following Hinata out of the Hokage's office. Once Tsunade was sure that both ninja were out of earshot, she dug into her desk and pulled out a medium-sized manila folder.

"Do not let anyone else know of everything that has happened. That folder is strictly confidential, and should word get out…" Tsunade didn't need to finish the sentence. She knew Shikamaru didn't need to be told the consequences, nor would he reveal the secrets inside the folder once he saw them.

His brows furrowed as he flipped through the photos. "Ne…" he sighed, his voice a bit unsteady. "This is… brutal."

"Yes," Tsunade whispered, holding back the moisture prickling in the back of her eyes.

The Hokage watched, carefully assessing the expression in Shikamaru's eyes as he read the file. He was perfectly composed, something that few had mastered, but as soon as he read the last line, his eyebrows rose.

"Demo… Surely—"

"Hai."

"Like this?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Where is she now?"

"Right now, Sakura is on her way back here, escorted by one of Amegakure's very own: Kazukiro Naito. Though I doubt she needs someone, she's too stubborn and too apt to get herself into trouble should she make the journey back here alone." Tsunade rubbed her hands over her face. "Sakura…"

"It's a confirmed match, then? It's definitely Sakura's parents?"

"Yes. Though their heads seemed to have disappeared, we were able to pick up the DNA of their skin and dried blood from the crime scene. After being tested multiple times, we had no choice but to accept the fact that her parents had been brutally murdered."

Shikamaru's hand shook. "Where is the crime scene?"

"Cleaned up," Tsunade sighed. "I left the village for a few moments, used my chakra to section off the scene of the murder, sealed it and brought it back to the lab for analysis. Believe me, Shikamaru. I checked thoroughly."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. But why would they do this? Her parents aren't ninja."

Tsunade shrugged. "Bait maybe. Certainly not revenge. The Harunos were too nice a couple to have enemies. But I think it was mostly a warning, as that picture shows."

The genius couldn't take his eyes off of the photo. The way the blood and limbs were placed was gruesome and disgusting, but he couldn't deny the words the appendages spelled. If what it said was true…

"Hokage-sama, if it says 'she's next,' then why are you letting her come back without proper protection?"

"Sakura is more than capable to take care of herself. Besides, I don't think they mean any time soon. Naruto and Sakura haven't felt anything brewing in Amegakure as to news of Takai, so they must still be planning—if anything in the late stages of it. That gives us a little bit of time."

"What am I to do?"

"Take this folder with you. Seal it in a scroll. I don't want just anyone to be able to see the specifics and details I've put into this report." Tsunade frowned, and her hazel eyes burned when they looked up at Shikamaru. "Find out what this organization is after. Find out their next move."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." Shikamaru bowed, and walked calmly out of the office.

Tsunade grabbed a bottle of sake and took a large swig. She let the bite settle into her blood stream, and a troubled gaze rested on the view from her office. Her frown deepened.

"I'm counting on you, Shikamaru. I'll be damned if I lose her, too."

00000

Sakura hated awkward silences. She had been forced to live through quite a few of them in her early years being on Team 7, and it was still the same. Though she had always thought the tension in Sasuke's shoulders was his hate of the world and (possibly) her, she realized now that it wasn't true. Granted, Naito was nowhere near like Sasuke, but he was a bit more like an annoying, twelve-year-old Naruto.

Not that Sakura didn't like Naruto's exuberant attitude. When he was fifteen, he had still retained his zeal for life while thankfully toning down the enthusiasm he always showed. Unfortunately, his attitude changed with the suddenness of Jiraiya's death. But Sakura really couldn't blame him.

So many people close to him had died. He had never known his parents, and the Third Hokage, one of the fist people to be kind to him, had been killed by Orochimaru and the dreaded Shinigami. Sasuke, someone who had been like a brother to Naruto, had betrayed everyone in search for more power. Though Sakura and Kakashi had been affected, Sakura knew that Naruto had suffered the most. Gaara had almost died because of the extraction of the bijuu inside of him, and Sakura had personally seen how it had affected Naruto. They had failed to bring Sasuke back when they had found him at Orochimaru's lair. Though Naruto hadn't known Asuma that well, it had still cut when the Team 10's sensei had been killed. Naruto had gotten to know Jiraiya, and though he had complained about what a pervert the hermit was, the older man had become like a father to him.

It really was a wonder that deep down, Naruto was still Naruto. It was amazing the resilience he had, even though so much had happened to him. Even now, she knew he was worried about her. It had been strange to see him so quiet and calm, but Sakura was glad he was getting back to being his old self. She hadn't realized how much she had missed it.

"Sakura-chan!"

She shot a glare at the chuunin walking next to her. Naito closed his mouth and looked away, waiting a few moments after Sakura looked away before speaking again.

"Why are you smiling?"

"What?" That caught her by surprise.

"You're smiling," Naito repeated. "Why?"

"Remembering," Sakura answered simply. She didn't want Naito to know that she had been thinking about Naruto. She wasn't sure why, but she felt her cheeks heat and her heartbeat quicken.

It shouldn't matter that Naruto had kissed her. She hadn't even been kissing him that long. Yet it wouldn't leave her head. All in all, it had been wet and strange, yet when his hands had gently moved down to her hips, it had seemed as if her body was on fire. She hadn't experienced anything like that, and she couldn't get it out of her mind.

"But, Sakura—"

"Shh!" she whispered urgently, every one of her senses keyed in and alert. She kept walking, keeping her posture relaxed, but her eyes and ears were tuned in to the sights and sounds around them. There was that small rustling of leaves… The occasional smell of something moving… The quick flash near the hindsight of her vision.

Finally, she'd had enough. She crouched into her fighting stance, whipping out a kunai and clenching it in her fist. "Come out! Quit playing games; I know you're there."

Within moments, two ninja flashed into the road, both serious until the one of the right smiled. He was a big man, wore no shirt or shoes, and wore black ninja pants held up by a simple black belt. His black eyes sparkled, and the smile on his face sent chills up Sakura's spine. A woman was with him—tall and stately with keen eyes studying Sakura with cool severity. Her black coat reached slightly above mid-thigh, the colorful scarf highlighting her green eyes and jet-black hair.

"What do you want?" Sakura was relieved that her voice was cold and demanding.

The man started to move, but the female stuck a hand out in front of him. "Wait, Samanji. Be patient."

The man named Samanji smiled back at the woman. "Are you afraid, Izanami?"

The woman crossed her arms and stuck up her nose. "Of course not. But you know she won't come to us on her own. We must be closer. You know that." She looked at him, and Samanji backed away a step, quickly avoiding her eyes.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, studying the two ninja in front of her that had to be teammates. But something was off about these two. She glanced over at Naito, and was glad to see he had a kunai out and was in his fighting stance. Yet she could see the nervousness and apprehension on his face. Maybe he had never been in these particular situations before.

"Naito," she whispered, eyes still trained on the two ninja that had now started fighting with each other. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

The medic ground her teeth. "Bullshit."

The chuunin beside her grunted. "Fine!" he whispered urgently. "So I haven't really been on missions that end up like this! I still know how to fight! And how can you even talk? What kind of missions have you been on?"

For a moment, Sakura didn't answer. Finally, she said, "More real life situations than you, I bet. My generation was the one that defeated Pein, right?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Everyone helped to defeat him. We've fought against Akatsuki, and others that you have no idea. You guys need to get out more." Sakura shook her head, clamping her mouth shut before she said or thought about Orochimaru and others she remembered fighting. She had to stop blabbering. Concentrating on the teammates in front of her was taking up most of her attention, so her mouth was running away with her. She really shouldn't even be talking, because just a few words and—

"Sakura… chan…"

Her body stiffened. How did he know her name? "Who the hell are you?" she growled.

Samanji smiled. His voice was low and tantalizing. "A murderer."

"Samanji!" Izanami ordered.

The man didn't turn. "Say whatever you want, Izanami, but I think she deserves to know."

Sakura clutched the handle of the kunai tighter. "Know what?" She clenched her teeth at the small shake in her voice.

He edged closer, that wicked smile still spreading his lips and getting wider with each step he took. "Who killed your parents, of course."

Everything stilled. Her breath was suddenly labored, and every muscle in her body was shaking with anticipation. He was going to tell her. He was going to tell her who had murdered her parents so that she could beat them to a pulp. Her fingers twitched, and she forced herself to relax somewhat. Tsunade had taught her better than to let her emotions completely control her.

"Who killed them?" Sakura asked when Samanji hadn't spoken for a few minutes.

The man smiled and gave a low laugh. "Guess."

Sakura growled. _This is getting us nowhere._

_Wait! Don't act yet. That's what he wants. Remember what Shishou told us._

"Patience, patience, young one." Samanji clicked his tongue, giving Izanami a mockingly sad look. "Ninja these days know nothing of patience and hard work. It's sad, really."

_I'm gonna kill him._ Sakura's blood boiled. It was one thing to talk to his teammate like that, but Sakura took those words as a personal insult. She had worked her ass off to get to where she was now, and training with Tsunade had been no easy task. She had been challenged every single day of training, and though Sakura had an easier time controlling her chakra than most, the energy and concentration needed to heal people was hard work. If anyone knew anything about hard work and patience, it was Sakura.

_And Naruto. Don't forget about him, too,_ her Inner reminded her.

"Well, we mustn't keep her waiting." Samanji moved closer, and Sakura adjusted her foot, digging it in so her footing was firmer. "You want to know who killed your parents, girl? Well, I'll tell you."

Unconsciously, she held her breath.

"I did."

Silence.

_That can't be right… He's standing right in front of me… That can't be right!_

"It was disappointing, really. I thought they would give me a good fight, or at least the information I was seeking. But all they did was die in the end."

The scene. The limbs. The blood. Her _parents_. The man that had killed her parents was standing right in front of her. He had been the one to tear them apart. He had been the one to torture them. For what?

Her vision was splotching. Red was all she could see. Anger boiled in her veins, brewing until she felt as if her limbs would explode. She was holding back, but the kunai in her hand was bending. If only it was his arm that was in her hand. She could hear the delicious crunch of bone through the red haze of rage, and her chakra flared, filling her body with energy.

Was this what Naruto felt? Was this what happened when Kyuubi took over his body? It didn't matter. That murderer was right in front of her.

A split second and the ground shook with an earthquake, and she was gone. Her kunai clashed against the short sword Izanami held, but the woman was not used to fighting on crumbling ground. Sakura swung and missed, her hand punching through the trunk of a large oak. The tree groaned, but stood.

Izanami ducked, but Sakura ducked with her, fist darting out before slipping into an open palm and slamming against the woman's right forearm. Izanami grunted, eyes flashing to Sakura's before a fist successfully smashed into her skull, crushing it against the ground.

Sakura stood, angry green eyes fixated on Samanji. It wasn't until he started laughing that Sakura realized her rage. She could feel the angry tears pulling at the back of her eyes, but she couldn't stop it. Her chest hurt, choking her, but her fury allowed her to breath, to channel her chakra to her fists. Her body shook, fighting against itself. She didn't want to fight. But his _laughing_… It made it worse. She couldn't get rid of the hate coursing through her blood, and she snapped.

With a shout she charged, powering up her fist. Samanji caught her punch with a smile, but as Sakura felt the tremors of her punch tingle up his arm, the corners of her mouth quirked. She swung again, and Samanji caught it again, but the medic didn't miss the grunt and trembling legs. Sakura drew her fist back, standing still as she watched Samanji back away.

There was a thrill in her veins—the thrill of fighting and avenging her murdered parents. Sakura adjusted her chakra, sending more to the circle of energy in the center of her palm. Her chakra surrounded her nails, and she furrowed her eyebrows, concentrating on running her chakra the other way to sharpen it on her fingertips. The chakra swirled in a ready ball of energy in her palm and sifted out over her fingers; it was ready.

Mystic Palm really was an amazing technique. It could be used to heal, and yet was a deadly fighting technique. Sakura took a step closer, and Samanji charged, gathering chakra in his limbs. He swung and Sakura ducked. She kicked and he ducked.

For a while they fought like that, occasionally getting hits on the other, but Sakura always kept that extra bit of chakra present in her hands. He was almost close enough. Suddenly, Samanji feigned an attack, drifting to the side and flipping three shuriken out of his hand. Sakura flipped back, but the shuriken still made impact. Sakura stumbled back as the pain registered.

She grunted.

_That was smart_, her Inner commented.

_I know. Either way I was still going to get hit. He threw them in a way that assured I would get hit no matter what I did. Unless I put up a chakra shield. Which few are even capable of doing._

Sakura looked down, assessing the damage. A shuriken was lodged near the nerve in her left knee, another in her side, and a third on the left side at the apex of her neck and shoulder. She gritted her teeth and pulled out the shuriken, the blood from the wounds dripping down her chest and side and leg. She panted slightly, forcing herself to think and plan past the pain. She had been injured much worse than this, and she had still fought.

Her muscles near the nerves strained to function, but her chakra was still free. Sakura re-gathered the chakra in her right fist, the destructive part of Mystic Palm ready and waiting. Samanji flipped more shuriken from his hands, and Sakura growled, letting the chakra slip from her hand to help her flip away. This time, she registered the shuriken's trajectory, mapping out the angles as quickly as her mind would allow.

Sandals snapped through the grass. Three more hits. Sakura glanced up.

Samanji twirled a kunai on his finger, eyes glinting as he noticed Sakura's bent knees, one balancing on the ground and the other supporting her frame. He watched her stand, and he couldn't help but see the look in her eyes. Oh, it sent wonderful shivers down his spine.

"I'm afraid I'll have to say I'm quite disappointed, Miss Haruno." Samanji smiled, and trailed his hand down the sharp edge of the kunai in his other hand. Sakura spotted the blood slipping down his finger from the sharpness of the blade, but the ninja didn't even seem to notice. "I've heard… so much about your skill. I'm disappointed."

"Then you must be either blind or dumb. And you're neither," Sakura argued.

"True… True. And might I say you pack one powerful punch?" He shivered. "It felt… exhilarating."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. Who was this man? Why was he so intent on how she displayed her power? Especially if he liked how it had hurt. There was something wrong with him, and Sakura did not want to find out what it was. However, she had the strange premonition that she would.

"Your movements, too, are exquisite. I can't believe—" Samanji flipped back as the ground crumbled from beneath his feet. He had to watch this one. She was temperamental and fast, but she had some of the most amazing strength that he had ever seen. She was perfect. Oh, she was perfect.

_This guy is insane_.

_I know!_ her Inner answered her. _He is _not_ allowed near us._

_I completely agree._

"Now, now, Miss Haruno. Was that entirely necessary?"

"Come down here and fight me like a real man! Are you afraid to lose your precious essentials or is it because you don't have any that you won't fight? Because I don't even need a tool. I could rip them off with my bare hands…" Sakura could feel her anger growing. This man—he was the one that had tormented her parents! She knew now how someone could do that. He was completely insane; he had to be.

Samanji growled. "Bitch." Normally, nothing could aggravate Samanji into acting without thinking without calm evaluation. But this time, he charged the young medic, kunai and fists ready.

It was now or never—five seconds.

Chakra flooded to her fist.

Four seconds.

She forced the chakra to sharpen itself.

Three.

The chakra swirled in her palm, raging out of control.

Two.

Her chakra peaked.

One.

00000

He sighed. This wasn't making sense. Granted, he was the genius and he liked a challenge, but sometimes he wished things were much easier than they really were. Like women. It didn't seem to matter what you did. You were always in trouble. Unless you happened on one of their moods that made them happy or want to have sex. It was troublesome, yet he couldn't seem to get away from them.

Although, however hard some cases were, they were always able to crack (_unlike_ women). There could be twists and complications, but at the end of the day cases were always solvable. But this one…

"I can smell him. I know he's been back here, but I'm not sure what's going on. It's almost like he's headed back to Konoha." Kiba stuck his nose in the air while Akamaru kept his nose on the ground, thoroughly sniffing the perimeter of their assigned section.

"Ano… I can't see anything, Shikamaru-kun." Hinata scanned the area again, but her vision picked up nothing. "I'm sorry."

"But it's clear he's gone toward Konoha?"

Kiba and Hinata nodded.

"I know that it seems implausible. But…"

"No, Kiba. It's entirely possible. Ugh… Troublesome…"

"What is it, Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata asked, her eyes widening in worry. If Shikamaru was nervous, then there was cause to worry. Hinata had never been particularly close to anyone on Team 7, even if she did like Naruto. Still, they had been her teammates occasionally and she still cared about them as her friends. Kiba placed a hand on her shoulder. She gasped slightly, but let out a breath when she realized who it was.

"Oh… Kiba-kun…"

"It'll be all right, Hinata. Shikamaru? What is it?"

Shikamaru turned toward Konoha. "He's going after her. Sakura. He's going after Sakura."

00000

Samanji gasped. All of his momentum had been stopped by one very powerful fist. Blood suddenly squirted from places in his body that he had no idea where they were. Thin incisions lined his arms and torso and legs, and his insides felt warm and very… wet. He coughed, and his eyes barely saw the blood spatter the pink hair and pale face of the one that had stopped him.

He took in her defensive posture—the blue chakra whirring a dangerous pitch as it still swirled around her palm in a greater amount. Her hand shifted, and he felt pain along his calves and wrists. New blood poured out, and she was covered in it.

Her eyes… He could see the fire and the hate.

"That was for my parents," she growled.

She stood, and Samanji realized the strength of her fist. Without its support, he fell to the grass, his blood leaking onto the floor. For a moment he choked, and Sakura walked away, well aware of the blood covering her frame. Suddenly, an explosion created a small crater where Samanji's body had been. Sakura ducked, and glanced back, hurrying to where Samanji had fallen. Her fists clenched.

"Shit!"

Naito hurried over. "What?"

Sakura made sure all her supplies were in place. "Get your things, Naito. And what were you doing just standing there?! I was fighting and you didn't do a thing. Cheh… I wonder if I really should've brought you…"

She knew she was being cruel, but she was furious. Naito quickly caught up. "Sakura-chan, what is it?"

Green eyes glanced back at the crater. "It's the same technique that Akatsuki used. When Naruto and Kakashi were fighting Itachi. Or what they thought was Itachi." She reached her right thumb back, smothering it with her own blood from the wound near her neck. Her hands flipped through the signs, and she slammed her palm on the ground.

A small slug appeared in a puff of smoke. "Yes, Lady Haruno?"

Sakura took out her pack, grabbing onto a pen and ink. She quickly scribbled a note on the parchment, folded it, and sealed it. She handed it to the slug. "Take this to Lady Tsunade. And hurry! She needs to get it as soon as possible."

The slug nodded, "Hai," and disappeared.

"Ano… Sakura-chan… Being like Akatsuki is a bad thing, right?"

"Yes," Sakura whispered, her eyes taking on a distant look as she glanced toward Konoha. "Because that means he's still out there."

00000

**A/N:** So how was that guys? Did you like it? I hope so. I mean, it took me long enough to write it, even though it was one of my favorite chapters to write. I'm sorry if the fight seen wasn't up to par with what you were expecting. If you would like me to change things, please let me know. And this chapter was unbeta'd, so sorry for any mistakes I may have made!

- wolf's paradise


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Oh my gosh I haven't been here in forever! To my avid readers, I am soooo sorry this is ridiculously late but I've been working two jobs and trying to get everything set for school for next semester, but all I also seem to be doing is giving you guys excuses. Well, I'll try to simply write whenever I can from now on, and though it'll be difficult I'm pretty sure I'll do better =).

Well, this chapter has no beta, like my other one. I just wanted to get it out so everyone could enjoy the next installment of _Lost in the Rain_! I really hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and sorry if it's a bit choppy. If it is and you guys don't like it, send me a line and I'll go over it and repost it if it's necessary!

Enjoy everyone!

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

A frustrated scream filled the air, and a training field to the north of the academy suddenly exploded. Dust filled the air as a burst of chakra was released into the air, saturating the field before it dispersed. As the dust cleared, Kakashi cleared his throat and scratched the side of his head. Naruto was lying on the ground, chest heaving up and down as he tried to regain his breath. Parts of his clothes were burnt and his hair was singed, and when he tried to sit up, he let out a quick gasp of pain.

His palms were red and swollen with burns, and his face hurt, too. His legs were shaking, and his body felt like a live wire about to explode. Despite the pain shooting up his arms, Naruto stood, glancing at Kakashi. The blonde was still panting, even though it didn't seem like air was going to be of any help.

"Naruto, maybe—" Kakashi started.

"No! I can do this! I know I can!"

"Demo… If lightning isn't your element, then you won't be able to master it."

"I have to get it!"

Chisoku watched as Naruto gathered up his chakra again, closing his eyes and searching for lightning. The fox had to admit that the kid never seemed to give up. This had been going on for the whole morning, and he still refused to stop, even though it seemed like he would never get lightning down. Finally, after another explosion injured Naruto more, Kakashi had had enough.

"Naruto!"

Chakra sputtered and died, and the battered jinchuuriki looked at his sensei.

"Stop. Lightning is not your forte. You already know wind and water. Leave it at that. There are other, more important techniques for you to learn."

"But—"

"Nope. After we visit the hospital, I have a technique I'd like you to learn."

The blonde opened his mouth to protest, but Kakashi held up his right hand. "I don't want to hear it. Besides, I think it's a jutsu that only you could learn anyway."

Naruto glanced up at his teacher. "That only _I_ could learn?"

Kakashi nodded. "Not even the sharingan can copy it."

"How?"

The jounin turned and sauntered away from the training field. He raised his hand again, motioning for Naruto to follow him. "Come on, Naruto. Let's go to the hospital first. You'll see it tomorrow."

Naruto grunted, a small smile quirking the corners of his lips. Kakashi hadn't changed a bit. But as the jinchuuriki looked at his shaking hands, he knew his sensei was right. He did need to go the hospital, but he wished that Sakura were still around. It wasn't that he didn't trust the other medics. Sakura was just more efficient, and… well… it was Sakura.

"Oto-san!"

The blonde's heart rate spiked. There was only one person he knew that called him that. "Kaori?"

A small bundle slammed into his legs, and two small arms wrapped around his thighs and held him close. Pain shot through his limbs. Maybe Kakashi was right. If he could manipulate lightning, Naruto doubted it'd hurt this much. He was about to hug the girl back, but one glance at his hands told him otherwise.

_Kyuubi… Work a little faster, will you?_

The demon scoffed. _What am I, your personal healing source?_

Naruto inwardly shrugged and smiled painfully. _Well, you won't let me die, and you do always heal me. Besides, the healing part of you is innate. It's out of your control. Your body automatically heals you._

Kyuubi growled. _And if I recall I can control whether to heal you or not._

_Come on, Kyuubi! Just my hands! That's all I'm asking for._

_Fine,_ the demon agreed after a period of silence. Suddenly, he smiled wickedly. _But there's a price to pay, boy. It'll hurt._

At first, Naruto thought Kyuubi was joking. But he couldn't help but let out a strangled gasp when the pain hit. It felt as if his skin was burning while being stitched together at the same time. Pain like a thousand needles assaulted his nerves, and he was brought to his knees, eyes clenched shut and teeth grinding together in hopes of taking away some of the pain.

"Oto-san!"

By the time the pain stopped, Kaori had screamed his name half a dozen times. Naruto grabbed the girl and hugged her close, tangling his fingers in her hair. "It's okay, Kaori. I'm all right."

"But… You were in pain… It looked like it hurt a lot!" Her grey eyes frantically searched Naruto's face for the truth, and though she saw it, she also saw something else. Her hands fisted into Naruto's shirt.

"It did hurt a lot. But I'm okay now. You have nothing to worry about…" Naruto drew Kaori in again, wrapping his long arms around her tiny frame. She really was small. She needed protection and assurance, and Naruto felt a small ache in his chest. He could give it to her. He really could.

"Oto-san… You sure you're all right?"

"Yes, Kaori. I'm fine. But I need a check-up at the hospital." He leaned back and smiled, looking the girl in the eye. "But I think the nurse might need some help. You know, someone that knows how to take care of me." Naruto's fingers found her stomach and wiggled around.

Kaori squealed and backed slightly away, her eyes bright and a smile on her face. "Oto-san, that tickles!" she scolded, but her voice was coated with laughter.

"It's supposed to! Come here!" Naruto leaned forward and grabbed Kaori, lifting her up and tickling her some more. The girl squealed and laughed, and grabbed Naruto's hand once he set her down on the ground.

"Come on, Oto-san!" She pulled him toward the hospital. Naruto chuckled painfully and let her drag him away from the training field. "I'll show them how they're supposed to take care of my daddy!"

00000

This was frustrating. She knew he didn't need her anymore, but she wanted him to officially dismiss her. Not like anyone really could dismiss her. And yet somehow, the elusive Uchiha Sasuke could do it, and had done it. After all, Uchiha Sasuke was not just any ninja. He was known as the traitor the Konoha and Orochimaru's pet.

Still, it really didn't matter to her. He was one good-looking ninja, better looking than most that she had seen in Amegakure, and she got hit on by a lot of guys. It was flattering at times, but most were simply annoying. They smelled or had crooked teeth or were simply horrible ninja. Then again, she really could get anything she wanted. She just had that influence. She would be able to get that Uchiha brat to do anything if he would just let her get close to him. But unfortunately, he seemed allergic to close contact.

It really was a shame that he missed his team. Especially that Sakura. She really wasn't anything special. She couldn't understand why that pink haired bitch attracted so much attention. But she wasn't stupid. She knew about the threats and advances of that group that apparently had their eyes set on Haruno Sakura.

And apparently, so did Uchiha Sasuke. And Uzumaki Naruto. And many of the chuunin in the classes they had. Not that the bitch gave them the time of day—it was just downright frustrating. Here she was, twenty years old, gorgeous beyond belief, and not even all of the chuunin were under her thumb. But they would be. She was close to getting them there, too. The Haruno wasn't doing much to keep them, and they were much more infatuated with her than the pink haired beauty that didn't even talk to them.

Yet, neither Sasuke nor Naruto seemed to get that teammate out of their heads. Naruto? He was definitely in the same league as the Uchiha, one she deemed worthy of getting together with—even if he was only eighteen. In fact, both were only eighteen. And both had to be considered the hottest guys of Konoha, especially if—

She suddenly glanced up as Sasuke's figure soundlessly dropped in front of her. She blinked, quickly standing up and putting on her most charming smile. "Hello, Sasuke."

The Uchiha blinked, a frown turning down the corners of his lips. "Didn't I tell you that I didn't need you anymore, Akane?"

"But Sasuke," she clasped her hands in front of her, "I thought you might need more of my assistance. I mean, I work at the school and everything—"

"Enough." The simple word had enough venom in it to seriously wound a summon. No one used that tone with her, but Sasuke turned to her, eyes darker than black and entire chakra system exuding his irritation. Irritation pointed at _her_. "I told you I don't need you. Now leave, Akane. I don't want your help nor do I need it anymore. You were simply to tell me my teammate's power status. That is done. I have no more use for you."

He was dismissing her! "But—"

"Akane." The warning in his voice was enough to show that he meant business and he would use force if he had to. "Leave. Now."

Akane nodded and turned to leave. However, she had one more thing to say. "Be careful who your friends are, Uchiha. Their power is great, and their revenge a fuel to take you and any others down. Watch your back. Ninjas are not only paid to kill, but are paid to be actors."

With that, Akane teleported away.

Sasuke sighed. Things were getting complicated. A deadly group was after Sakura, and all anyone knew was their name. Murders had been happening around the village—not major ones, but murders nonetheless. Sasuke had considered helping, but this wasn't his fight. He was here for his teammates, to study and confront them. They had grown strong, he knew, and he would have to test it. He also knew they continued their never-ending search for him.

Maybe, just maybe, he could give them what they wanted.

But that was a big maybe.

00000

"_What the hell, Kyuubi!" she shouted, hoisting her fist back and slamming it into his chest. The bijuu grunted, the air knocked out of him. Damn this woman could pack a punch. "You bastard! You just went and left me like that without so much as a word, you horrible son of a demon bitch!"_

_Kyuubi reached up and grabbed both of her hands, his eyes soft and a smile on his face, showing his fangs. "God, woman. Do you know how much I missed you? How much I wanted to tell you?"_

_She frowned and tried to pull away, but the demon held on. "Well, you could have given me a notice," she said sourly._

"_Emiko," Kyuubi sighed, but he let his nails elongate, whispering over her skin. She gasped. Kyuubi smiled wickedly. Though he had learned the technique that gave him a human form, his demon side always found a way to slip through, especially with her. Plus, he knew that his nails on her skin tickled slightly, tickled enough to arouse her, and that was just where he wanted her._

"_Where were you?" she demanded, ignoring the desire that she knew Kyuubi could smell._

_The demon sighed. How he had missed Emiko's personality! So, he said the one thing that he could without really breaking any rules or betraying any of the bijuu. "The Bijuu Court of Souls."_

_Emiko's eyes widened, and all the fight left her body. "Oh…" She glanced at the ground, stomach fluttering nervously. "What did they say?"_

"_The usual," Kyuubi growled._

"_What about—"_

"_I couldn't change it," Kyuubi said roughly, looking away from Emiko but loosening the hold on her wrists. He sighed heavily, the rule weighing heavily on his mind. "I'm the strongest of the bijuu. I'm supposed to follow the rules." He glanced up at the woman in front of him, eyebrows pushing together. "I'm not supposed to love you."_

"_Oh, Kyuubi," Emiko whispered, stepping closer and placing both of her hands on the demon's face. Her thumbs rubbed over his cheeks and he saw tears in her eyes. Why was she crying? "Don't do that to yourself."_

"_Emiko, if they find out that we've been together, or even if we're in love, they'll kill you, and imprison me." Kyuubi placed his hands on her waist, almost as if to steady himself. Emiko was always so strong and so independent. She was just that way, which was one reason why he loved her. He had never met any human so intriguing or beautiful._

"_But they can't imprison you, right? You're the most powerful demon."_

"_It'd be a seal made by all of the other bijuu. Each would contribute a section to the seal, and because it's been bound by eight of the bijuu, it'd be impossible for me to break."_

"_You could do it. I know you could."_

_Kyuubi stroked his hands through her straight black hair. It fell to the middle of her shoulder blades, but it needed to be trimmed soon. Her bangs fell into her expressive grey-black eyes. "It's you I'm worried about, Emiko. I don't care if I'm imprisoned. I couldn't bear it if you died."_

_A determined look flashed in Emiko's eyes, and Kyuubi felt her chakra tighten with resolve. "I'd make sure to live. I wouldn't let myself die." The fire in her eyes was unmistakable, and Kyuubi found his hope. It had been so long—well, only a month—since he had left to attend the Bijuu Court of Souls meeting. It had been so long since he had touched Emiko, since he had felt the warmth of her touch._

_He suddenly pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers and pressing her body against his. She laughed against his lips, fully aware of the power she held over him. Still, Kyuubi didn't mind. He knew the effect that he had on her as well, and he meant to exploit it right now. He wrapped his hands around her thighs, squeezing and lifting her up so her legs were wrapped around his waist. In a flash, they were standing in Emiko's apartment._

_She laughed. "Kyuubi… You know that anyone who saw you would piss in their pants, right?" Her hands ruffled through his thick, blood red hair that fell to the middle of his back._

_He smiled wickedly, fangs extending over his bottom teeth. "Of course. But you know I'm always careful."_

"_Yeah…" she mumbled. And he did. Kyuubi carefully managed his appearance, and severely toned down his chakra levels so he seemed like nothing more than a civilian. It amazed her how well he was able to hide all the chakra he possessed—chakra that set her blood on fire and made her feel like she could do anything she wanted._

_She sighed heavily as Kyuubi's hands ghosted over her stomach, and that feeling fluttered in her gut again. She gasped as Kyuubi kissed her neck, hands sifting to her back to press her close to him. It all felt so good, especially after so long. She didn't know how much she wanted and needed Kyuubi until he had suddenly left. Now, she wasn't going to let him go._

_Kyuubi pulled away, setting her back on her feet. He could feel the emotions churning inside of her. "What's wrong?"_

_Emiko blinked. "Tell me? Tell me next time you're going to leave?"_

_The quiver in her voice—it clenched something inside of him, and he knew he couldn't even begin to imagine the hell he had put her through by leaving without a word. He nodded. "I will. I promise. I'll tell you next time."_

_A breath of relief escaped through her lips, and she looked up at the demon with which she had somehow fallen in love. Her nerves were frayed from worrying about it, but she had to tell him. "Kyuubi, I…" He looked at her quizzically, and the smile that lifted the corners of her mouth lit up her entire face. "You're going to be a father."_

_The whole world stopped. He could only stare at her, his mouth wide open and thousands of emotions flitting through his eyes. Finally, the bijuu blinked, hands coming up to cup her face. "Are… Are you sure, Emiko? You're… You're pregnant? It's mine?"_

_She nodded, eyes bright with happiness. "Of course it's yours silly. I wouldn't want a baby with anyone else."_

_Kyuubi was completely dumbfounded. "How? I mean… How long have you known?"_

"_I found out just before you left for the Court of Souls. I… I thought maybe you knew before I did, and you didn't want to have a baby, so you… you just left. I didn't know what to do…" Emiko looked down, an embarrassed laugh filling the room._

_Kyuubi hated himself. How could he have put her through worry like this? He loved her—so much—and he had left without a word when she was carrying something so precious. It blew his mind away. Him. A father. It was… something he didn't even know he wanted until the news had first reached his ears. He had lived for millennia and had never found anyone he even found interesting. Not like Emiko. Not like her._

_She was special._

"_Emiko… I am sorry. So, so sorry," he whispered, holding her close as he felt a few small patches of warmth coat his shoulder. Out of the five months that he had known Emiko, never once had she cried. She was always strong and resilient, but this was something that was unlike anything either of them had experienced. This was a _baby_._

"_I can feel it, you know."_

_He pushed her back. "What do you mean?"_

"_I can feel your chakra around it. Your chakra is a part of this baby, and I can feel it inside of me, and I even feel it spreading through me. What's happening, Kyuubi?"_

_The demon was dumbfounded. "I don't know. Maybe it's preparing you to carry the baby, since it has more chakra than you do. But other than that, I don't know what's happening, Emiko. I'm sorry, love."_

_She smiled. "It's not your fault, Kyuubi…"_

_Suddenly, everything was fading._

"_We'll go through this together…"_

_It was fuzzy and the voices were breaking. It was only then that Naruto realized he wasn't Kyuubi and that he wasn't in love with Emiko. He clawed at the dream, trying to make it stay, but through haze he could just barely see everything fast-forwarded. It raced through the time spent together—one slightly clear moment when Kyuubi placed his hand on Emiko's bulging belly. The images flashed again in quick succession, one resting for a moment on a face that Naruto didn't recognize._

_White light exploded behind Naruto's eyes, and he wasn't expecting the pain and blood that followed. There was blood everywhere, and he felt a growl grow before he even knew what was happening. His form grew less human, changing into Kyuubi's real form and towering over the treetops. The roar broke from his throat, loud and terrifying as the pressure blew away trees and ripped the tops off of building. Claws dug trenches into the earth, and the rage that encircled his body grew until one could feel it in their very core._

_His tails swirled around the air, creating circles of chakra that blasted through the area. Kyuubi lifted his head, letting out another deadly roar that blew away the sky. Screams and shouts were barely audible as Kyuubi smashed a paw onto the ground, creating an earthquake that shook the earth. His tails came crashing down, but there was only one thing his blood red eyes were searching for._

_Kazuki…_

Naruto awoke with a shout, his body riddled with sweat and his breath coming in ragged pants. His shirt was torn, and when he heaved a breath, his belly burned. He glanced down at glowing seal, feeling it pulse with life inside his skin. It sent fire through his limbs, and he could feel the hatred spreading, clenching his muscles, changing his eyes, hardening his hair to spikes, lengthening his nails to deadly claws. He didn't want to turn.

The red chakra welled up inside of him, and his canines split, burning in his gums as they extended. Keener sight assaulted his eyes, and he knew his eyes were the same bloody color as Kyuubi's.

He didn't know how much longer he could fight. His bones cracked and his nails dug into the beds as they grew longer. His shoulder popped, and then the next before Naruto clamped down on the feeling. His forearm broke, his back arching as his cry of pain was only muffled by turning his head into the pillow.

_Kyuubi!_ Naruto yelled, hoping the demon wasn't seriously trying to escape.

Nothing. The blonde clenched his teeth again, fighting the urge to scream as his ribs popped up and out, almost breaking the skin. Scalding heat surrounded his hands, and he felt Kyuubi's chakra envelope him in a protective shield. This wasn't good. Not good at all. He could get loose and tear up the village! White-hot pain exploded behind Naruto's vision, and he gasped.

_Kyuubi!_ he yelled again, but received the same response.

Naruto tried fighting again, feeling the chakra stop, feeling his eyes sift back and forth between cerulean and crimson. The joints in his hands popped again, and the pain made him lose the concentration he had possessed. He let a strangled gasp escape this time, but he wouldn't be able to fight for much longer. He could endanger everything and everybody.

He had had enough. Naruto gathered all of his strength, letting go of his will to stop the transformation and shoved all of his energy into his shout.

_KYUUBI!_

The blonde felt a jolt, and then the familiar heat as the demon stirred. Tails swished inside of the cage, and the Kyuubi's hulking form stood. Suddenly, everything stopped. The chakra slowly receded, stopping its drive to peel Naruto's skin. His nails shortened, and bones popped again, fangs shoving back into his mouth and his eyes switching colors before resting with blue.

Naruto finally opened his eyes, the pain in his body too intense for his erratic breathing to slow. _Kyuubi… What the fuck?!_

_Sorry, kid_. The demon seemed tired, but immediately sent out the better part of his chakra to Naruto's broken arm and leg, dislocated shoulders, and fractured fingers. But the jinchuuriki wasn't letting the demon get away that easily.

_Don't lie to me, you bastard. I saw what happened. I saw the dream. I saw you, and some…girl,_ Naruto murmured in between grunts of pain. _I saw blood and destruction and I _felt _your rage, Kyuubi._

_What about it, Twerp?_

The demon's relaxed question sent Naruto over the edge. _Tell me, Fox! You were asleep! You almost used me as your vessel to destroy the village that we're supposed to help! I could've hurt Masuyo! I could've hurt Kaori! I could've hurt Sakura if I had escaped and run to Konoha!_

_Fine._ Kyuubi looked away, something in his expression that Naruto couldn't read. _I was asleep, and I was dreaming._

_Kyuubi…_

_Enough, Twerp! I do not owe you anything. And I definitely do not owe you an explanation._ The bijuu's eyes narrowed, and they turned a sharper red, glowing slightly as his fangs parted to show he was serious.

_But—_

An enraged roar filled the cavern of Kyuubi's cage, rebounding off the walls and shuddering through Naruto's body. _I told you no, Twerp! Don't bring it up ever again or so help me I _will_ try to break out of this cage and destroy this village!_

Naruto stared blankly at the demon, unable to say anything. The look in Kyuubi's eyes… The damn bijuu meant it. There wasn't a bluff in any part of that infuriated statement. Naruto had known Kyuubi long enough to know when the demon bluffed and when he didn't. And there was no doubt in his mind that Kyuubi had no intention of leaving that threat dry if Naruto did breach the subject again. Also, this was the first time the demon had ever apologized.

The blonde stopped the process of returning to the surface of his mind. He slowly turned back to Kyuubi, a pained expression in the boy's eyes. How could he have patronized the bijuu like that? How could Naruto have tried to force him to tell something that hurt the demon more than he wanted to admit?

A low growl filled the entire cavern, the enormity and anger in its undertones shaking through Naruto's very core. _Boy, I warned you…_ Angry red chakra filled the air, and Naruto could feel its power. But he wasn't scared.

"Thank you," Naruto whispered.

Kyuubi stopped. _What?_

Naruto's arm was still sore, as were his other bones, but had he ever thanked the demon for everything he had done? He didn't think so, at least. _Thanks, Kyuubi. For everything, I mean. For healing me. I'm sorry for trying to make you tell me what happened. I wouldn't want to tell either if something had happened to Sakura._

He pressed his lips together, nodding one more time before disappearing and opening his eyes to a dark room. His body screamed its displeasure, but Naruto ignored it, turning gingerly onto his side and trying to sleep. He felt the seal pulse its heavy, rhythmic beat, but it slowed, its glow lessening until it became a simple black tattoo. In another minute, it faded. A tired smile touched Naruto's lips before he lost consciousness.

00000

"Sakura… Come on. You have to leave soon." Ino gently tried to push her friend away from the gravestone, but the pink haired ninja wouldn't budge. Why should she? Her parents had died. She had been close to her mother, but she was a daddy's girl. She had always had a good relationship with her father. He was the main parent in which she confided.

All she could do was stare at their grave, the doublewide rectangle holding both of their bodies. Well, the parts that weren't completely torn apart. And that was the other thing. Sakura had forced Tsunade to tell her how her parents had died. She had seen their killer; she had fought against him.

Suddenly, Sakura's head was clear. Tsunade needed to know. How could she have forgotten? She had sent the slug to warn her mentor that she had something important to tell her, but she had completely forgotten! Tsunade should have said something, even when Sakura had visited her office to learn how her parents' died…

The medic's thoughts stilled, and something swelled in her chest. It was because she had been mourning her parents' death, and Tsunade knew how painful mourning could be. She had experienced it herself, and hadn't wanted to pressure Sakura before she was ready. Sakura felt her eyes water. Her mentor was a lot kinder than Sakura gave her credit.

"Sakura-chan…" Naito started, obviously about to apologize for her parent's untimely death, something that Sakura didn't want to hear. She quickly blinked away her tears and turned to Ino, placing her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "Ino, where's Shikamaru?"

Ino blinked, surprised by the question. "Um… He's on a mission. With Kiba and Hinata." The blonde tilted her head, clear blue eyes narrowing. "Why?"

"He would understand…"

"Sakura-chan… What's going on?" Naito interrupted.

"Where's Shishou?"

"Her office. Sakura, if this is some sort of request to go on a revenge mission, I'm not going to let you do it! I know you miss you mom and dad, but they're gone now!"

"It's okay, Ino. I just remembered something important that could affect quite a few things… Shishou needs to know about it. She's one of the smartest ninja there is. Damn, if Kakashi were here I'd have him come with me… And Shikamaru isn't here, and he's a genius…"

Ino was beginning to get the hint. "Sakura…"

"I'm sorry, Ino. But I can only talk to Shishou about information gathered on my missions. I promise I'm all right. Naito, let's go." Sakura jogged off toward the Hokage's office, her pace fast and her heart pounding. How could she have forgotten about that?

"Sakura-chan, I don't understand what's going on…"

"You will, Naito." _I think, at least_, Sakura mumbled to herself.

One minute later Naito and Sakura were in front of Tsunade. The Hokage had her hands folded in front of her, slightly using them as a chin rest. Her hazel eyes were narrowed.

"Tell me that again, Sakura."

"Naito and I were coming here when two ninja intercepted us. One of them was my parent's killer. We—well, _I_ fought and killed them both. Just a few minutes later, when we checked on the bodies, their faces weren't the same."

"You need to elaborate, Sakura. I'm failing to understand where you're coming from."

Sakura glanced at Naito, then raised her chin and looked hard at her mentor. "Mission J: Retrieve."

Tsunade stiffened. "Are you sure it's related to that?"

"Positive, Hokage-sama."

Hard hazel eyes turned on the Amegakure chuunin. "Naito, leave us. Matters must be discussed."

Sakura blinked. Well, she didn't think Tsunade would have made him leave…

_Oh well. He's annoying_, her Inner said cheerfully.

_Yeah, but it reminds me of a few things that used to happen to Naruto. And I feel… bad, I guess. I didn't want to bring him here if he was only going to be kicked out._ Sakura sighed and glanced down at her feet._ Well, I can explain later, and I won't have to break the mission silence code._

"But I was part of this mission," he protested.

"Yes, and now material pertains to that of one kept under exclusive surveillance here in Konoha. These are private matters, chuunin, and I doubt you want me to let you hear it only to kill you afterward." The look in Tsunade's eyes left no room for argument. The chuunin nodded reluctantly and left.

Sakura watched him go, then turned to her mentor. She focused, gathering her thoughts and looking at Tsunade, her eyes intensely expressive. "Remember when Team 7 was assigned to recover Gaara from Akatsuki, and Naruto and Kakashi doubled up to take on Itachi?"

A nod gave the cue for Sakura to continue. "When they had taken him out, they looked at his body, but it changed to a ninja that they had never seen before. Whatever jutsu that was, this guy Samanji was able to do it, too. He and probably his partner had used ninja that didn't matter, and made them look like the real deal. Just like Itachi did when Naruto and Kakashi fought him."

"Well, at least we know a little bit more about Takai's power. Unfortunately, that information isn't comforting." Tsunade unfolded her hands and placed them on her desk. Hazel eyes narrowed, and her mouth thinned, the usual signs of her thinking through things. Though she was glad to know this about Takai, this knowledge gave her the sinking feeling that this organization could be as powerful, or even more powerful than Akatsuki. If so, then things were dangerous for the ninja world. Especially since nobody knew precisely _what_ Takai was after.

Sakura glanced down fiercely at her mentor. "Anything else, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade waved her hand. "Oh, please, Sakura. I'm your teacher, so address me as such."

"Sorry, Shishou." Sakura glanced down, but that restlessness wouldn't go away. She felt itchy, but it was underneath her skin, in her core. It was the urge to find that bastard that had killed her family, and to make him pay for everything he had done. Attending her parent's funeral had reinforced that vengeance.

"Sakura…" Tsunade started. When her apprentice looked up, Tsunade knew. "Don't waste your time. We'll find them, but we'll do it the right way. I want you to keep your eyes open for anything suspicious, but _don't_ go out of your way looking for trouble. I mean it, Sakura."

"Yes, Shishou," Sakura nodded, grimacing slightly at how her teacher had read her face. Sakura wasn't that hard to read, but still, she had hoped that no one would really know what she was planning. Those would have to wait. Her traps would have to wait.

"Dismissed."

The medic bowed and nodded, and hurried from her teacher's office. She was outside before she knew it, grabbing Naito and tugging him after her, a feeling growing in her chest. She didn't know what to do with it, but it made her flighty. "Come on! We've got to get back!"

"We just got here four days ago! We don't leave for another three!"

She was panicking. She couldn't go back without Naito, and that feeling was buckling down on her, constricting her. She had felt this before when… _Sasuke_… No! This couldn't happen! She promised she wouldn't be so weak anymore! She promised that she wouldn't cry, or cause anyone pain because she was too weak to do anything herself. She would have to shut everything down, just push it away, because that's what Naruto and Sasuke had done. Naruto was all right now. She wasn't sure about Sasuke, but that didn't really matter.

_Calm down! Shove it away; you can do it!_ her Inner cried.

_But I—It's hard! I can't just forget about it all!_

_Yes you can! Do it! Naruto and Sasuke did it._ Her Inner wasn't letting up. _You weak idiot, do it _now!_"_

Sakura felt the warmth behind her eyes, and new that her tears were coming. She couldn't cry. She couldn't let herself cry. What had Shishou taught her? She closed her lips and concentrated, pushing the feeling of inadequacy down, forcing the tears from her eyes. She had made it this far, and she had grown so much since Naruto had gone for his training trip, and even when he got back. It wouldn't be for nothing! Her training would do her proud. It had to. She'd go crazy if it didn't.

"Forehead?" Ino gingerly touched Sakura's shoulder, and the medic blinked, suddenly seeming to come back to the present. "Look, Sakura…"

"It's okay, Ino. I can wait. Come on, Naito. We've got training to do. I'll show you how to fight in situations that require quick thinking…" Sakura walked away, Naito following her closely and listening carefully to her instructions.

Ino quickly followed, and once at the field, Sakura stood across from Naito, carefully explaining moves that he needed to know, especially in desperate situations. Thirty minutes had passed, but Naito still didn't seem to understand anything.

"No, no!" Sakura suddenly sighed heavily. "Like this!" The medic rushed forward, pounding her fists into the earth before suddenly striking Naito, and a rush of adrenaline flowed through her system. It felt so good to hit something. It released the frustration of holding everything inside of her. Three more hits and Naito was groaning on the ground. "Get up. Again."

"But, won't I get to learn why those guys disappeared and what the hell is going on here?" he yelled.

Sakura stared at him for a moment. She felt bad for keeping information, but he would have to work for it. "Later. You have to earn the right to learn this information, and I'll be the judge of when you can hear it."

Naito nodded, looking defeated.

"Okay. Again."

For two more hours, the two sparred—or in Ino's eyes, it was more like Sakura just beating someone to death. And yet, she had seen the same thing happen to her best friend when Tsunade had been training her. So it was mostly seen as toughening someone and heightening their reflexes. And yet, Ino couldn't help but think Sakura's pounding had to do with something else entirely.

00000

"Masuyo! I'm supposed to take that to the table!" Kaori yelled. She grabbed the pan of hot potatoes from Masuyo and marched into the living room to set the plate on the table. Naruto and Takara laughed when Masuyo followed, complaining that it should be his duty.

"Oh, she is simply wonderful. I so wish her foster parents had taken care of her better," Takara sighed, but even though there was a bit of sorrow in her eyes, it was drowned by the laughter and joy of seeing her son and Kaori argue about setting the table with food for dinner.

"She really is great. I… I really don't know how to explain it." Naruto shrugged. It really didn't matter too much. He needed this break, especially after that dream that Kyuubi had filtered into his mind. It was a good thing that Kaori had asked to stay with Masuyo and Takara last night.

But Naruto couldn't get the dream out of his mind. That woman had been just like Sakura, the kind of spitfire that could be deadly if roused, and yet he knew that Sakura would have acted similarly in those situations. He didn't know if she would touch anyone like that, but he found himself daydreaming about it. What if Sakura had been Emiko, and he Kyuubi?

"Oto-san! Come on! Look at the table!" Naruto blinked and glanced down at Kaori who was vigorously pulling at his sleeve. The blonde laughed and stood, following the insistent six-year-old into the living room where Takara sat beside Masuyo and Kaori pulled him to sit next to her. Masuyo sat to her other side, and both of them were positively beaming at how they had set the table. It needed work, but of course Naruto wasn't going to tell them that.

"It's beautiful, Kaori. I think it's great." Despite being tired, Naruto smiled at the little girl. He looked at the food, feeling his stomach rumble. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was until now.

The four of them talked throughout dinner, and Naruto was grateful for Takara's offer to him to eat dinner with them. It got his mind off of the dream and how his training was coming and how Sakura was doing. She never fully left his mind, but the two balls of bouncing energy distracted him.

"Oh, oh! Oto-san! Can I spend the night here again? Please, please, please?" Kaori's big grey eyes pleaded with Naruto, but he figured that having her in the room would at least warn the Kyuubi of the dangers of sharing his dreams with his host. Besides, tonight just didn't feel like a good night. It felt strange.

Naruto looked away before the grey eyes would make him change his mind. "Kaori, I know you want to stay here tonight, but I want you to come back with me."

Her face fell. _No, no, no, don't do that, please!_

Kyuubi smiled. _Well, I'd say two girls have you whipped, but this one's a different story._

_I don't see how this is a different story,_ Naruto ground out.

_Never mind, Twerp,_ the demon laughed.

Naruto grunted, and looked at Kaori. She was still pleading. "I promise we won't get into trouble, Oto-san! We didn't last night! Ask Miss Takara. She knows that we were good and we obeyed bedtime!"

"I know, Kaori." Naruto sighed, knowing she wouldn't like it. "But I want you to come home with me tonight."

Kaori glanced down, her whole body radiating her disappointment. "All right."

"Thank you, Kaori," Naruto smiled, and his approval seemed to lighten her mood for the time being. However, at the end of the night, Kaori had fallen asleep. Naruto carefully picked her up before thanking Takara for the meal. The blonde quickly and quietly teleported back to the room that he and Sakura shared, gently placing the little girl underneath the covers. She continued to sleep peacefully, and Naruto wished that Sakura were here to see it with him.

"Damn," Naruto suddenly muttered. He had forgotten the food that Takara had prepared for him. The food they kept for the ninja that lived at the Academy didn't taste very good at all, so Takara had kindly offered Naruto some of her leftover food. The sky was dark, but it was only nine o'clock at night; it wasn't like anything much happened at night in Amegakure. Besides, Takara's house wasn't far. Naruto could walk there in fifteen minutes.

And it was a nice night. There was no rain, and for once, there were no heavy clouds blocking the stars. Naruto could see their majestic shapes, including the fox constellation that was growling at the smaller but equally fierce constellation of a weasel. Quite a few other constellations stood out, like the splendid unicorn head or waiting lion. He could almost see the lion's tail twitch in agitation.

But the moon was strange. It was a three-quarter moon, but the bottom edge looked like it had been spray-painted or dipped in dye. Not to mention it was a strange rusty orange color, not something that Naruto had seen very often.

He shrugged it off, looking ahead to Takara's now-dark cabin. They must have gone to bed shortly after he had left. Everything was quiet. Suddenly, Naruto's ears perked. Okay, so maybe it was a tad _too_ quiet…

The blonde knocked on the door. No answer. The hairs on the back of Naruto's neck stood, and he felt the Kyuubi simmering beneath the surface. Something wasn't right. It was _wrong_. Things were definitely_ wrong_. It was too quiet, too dark, too… unsafe. It wasn't a matter of things being asleep. Something always made noise, and it was simply too quiet.

Naruto opened the door and stepped inside, stepping in something slick. Well, Takara had only just recently discovered a leaking pipe from her ceiling and hadn't gotten it fixed yet. Still, Naruto groped for the light switch, feeling a quick rush of relief when he found it. With a simple flick, light illuminated the room.

He couldn't stand. He almost screamed at what covered his sandal. Blood—there was so _much_ of it. No… No, it couldn't be. It wasn't possible! But he knew it was. He could smell the death, and it made him sick. He rushed out the door, finally letting the contents of his stomach onto the grass. Masuyo… Takara… Both dead—murdered. How was it possible?! Why?!

A small piece of parchment caught his eye, and Naruto snatched it up, needing something to distract him from the coppery taste of fear and acidic taste of bile. His hand shook, and he felt the tears behind his eyes.

_The bitch will be mine. Anyone you fraternize with can be and will be killed,_ the note read. Everything was getting too big. So many lives were at stake now. He had known Takara and Masuyo! The boy was just Kaori's age, and his mother was honest and worked hard for everything they had!

Oh, God, Kaori! Thank god he hadn't let her stay with them. If he had—Naruto didn't even want to think about it. He suddenly gasped, glancing down at his hand. The note was burning, and he backed away as if it had burned more than just a bit of his fingertips. Death had been such a part of his life recently, from Jiraiya to Sakura's parents, and now to two more people about which he had cared.

So much death… So much blood.

_Blood_.

Naruto glanced up. _Kyuubi…_

_I know,_ the demon responded.

The part of the moon that had been rusty was now a bright, blood red.

00000

**A/N:** Well, wasn't that a twister. Well kind of lol. Ugh, and again I'm sorry if this chapter was choppy. I just wrote it at odd times and stuff so it kinda explains it but there's really no excuse for it. Still, I know there's a lot of death in this story, but it's kinda supposed to be that way. I mean, I will promise that it's not like Hamlet where everyone dies, but I'm not gonna say what's gonna happen next ;).

- wolf's paradise


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I find it funny how I've written pretty much the first half of this chapter in class. It's been in my wonderful classes of business, anatomy, judging, English, you know the works =) lol. I suddenly have a very good intrigue to write this story, so I'm happy about that.

As always, please tell me if this chapter is utter horridness or I have terrible grammar. This is definitely not edited; it's 4:40 in the morning and I just want this chapter to be done with lol. Enjoy readers!

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

* * *

It was quiet in the forest except for the soft patter of sandals. And yet, there was still that noise almost right by her ear, and it aggravated her to no end. She had been trying to put up with it, but it just wasn't working.

"Naito, will you stop it?" she shouted, her anger close to bursting. He had been twirling that ball by her ear all day.

The chuunin jumped, and the ball fell to the ground with a splash. He hurriedly picked up the ball, giving Sakura a sidelong glance. She had been testy this week, but he was glad she wasn't hurrying him along to get back to Amegakure. Though it was his home, he liked visiting Konoha. It was a beautiful village, and he realized that they had many things going for them. The Byakugan for one—and in retrospect, it was actually quite odd. Eyes with no pupils were disconcerting at which to look.

Sakura thrust the ball in Naito's face. He smiled and grabbed it from her. The medic rolled her eyes, but she was happy to see Naito improving. His reactions were better than they had been three days ago. His affinity for water was escalating, hence the ball he'd been twirling with water by her ear. It was cool the way he seemed to control water even when not connected his hands—a lot like Kankuro's chakra strings.

She looked away, her thoughts switching to Naruto. Kakashi had been starting his training again when she had left a week ago. She still had two days of travel remaining, but how far had Naruto gotten? She had no doubt he had gotten stronger, and the thought sent her heart to her stomach. She felt like she was being left behind again. She had to hurry and figure out that formula. Maybe she needed to simply try it now. It had worked with Naruto's Rasen-shurikan jutsu.

"Uh… Sakura-chan? It's kinda nightfall…" Naito started, afraid to bother Sakura from her thoughts lest her temper flare.

The medic stopped and glanced around, narrowing her eyes at the gathering darkness. _I lost track of time… again. What's wrong with me? I'm not paying attention to my surroundings like I should be._

_Hey!_ Her Inner interrupted. _There's nothing wrong with us. Our parents just died, and we miss Naruto._

_Well, yeah, I guess,_ Sakura agreed, not quite paying attention to what her Inner had just said. Then again, her Inner had been making appearances much more often than she had for the past few years. _I wonder why…?_

_Psh, you hold everything inside, remember? You're caving in on yourself. Didn't you just tell Naruto not to do the same thing you're doing right now?_

That wasn't what Sakura wanted to hear. _It was a rhetorical question, dumbass._

_Why you—_

"Hello! Sakura-chan!" Naito waved a hand in front of her blank face. She quickly narrowed her eyes and swatted his hand away.

"What?"

Naito flinched at her harsh tone. "Well, you—"

"Oh, forget it," Sakura sighed, waving the issue away and detouring off of the main road. She found a small space and glanced at her surroundings. She gave Naito a firm look. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

"Wait—" Naito started, but she disappeared. "Dammit," he muttered, and plopped onto the ground.

Sakura gasped, her body reappearing away from the small space she had chosen to camp for the night. The world spun, her stomach churned, her body ached, and something was dripping down her arm. Her legs gave out, and she fell onto her hands and knees, her stomach unable to keep up with the drop. She heaved, letting the contents spill onto the ground. Her body shook.

_I have got to get this jutsu right_, she groaned.

She blinked furiously, expelling a painful breath and glancing to her left. She gasped. There was a huge gash in her left arm, and blood was trickling over her skin. It stung, and her temper flared. "Are you shitting me?" she growled, flipping onto her back and healing her arm. Her body ached from teleporting, and she wasn't sure if she could do it again. Suddenly, Tsunade's voice flooded her mind.

_If you can find the air's energy, match it to the energy and chakra within your body. Visualize the area you want to be, or a spot that has a name or where someone else is. Gather your body; concentrate on your surroundings. Feel the energy around you, and move with the air. Hold your chakra firmly, but keep it fluid. You have excellent chakra control, Sakura. There's no way you shouldn't be able to do this._

The medic groaned again. That was a lot to remember – almost too much. But she would get it down. She had to or else she might be left behind again. The thought awakened her stubborn streak, and she forced herself onto her feet. She would get this technique even if she almost had to kill herself to do it.

Dried branches were everywhere – perfect for the fire she wanted to build. She gathered a huge armful of wood and concentrated. She reappeared in front of Naito, and her body protested again. She clamped her stomach muscles, refusing to throw up again. She winced and dropped the wood when her arms suddenly gave out, two new cuts on either of her arms.

"Sakura-chan!" Naito cried, rushing over to her side. "Are you all right?"

Sakura shoved his hand away. "I'm fine!" she protested. "I'm fine." She rolled her shoulders and stood, gathering the wood on the ground.

An hour later, a fire was going, and silence reigned. Naito and Sakura sat across from each other, neither speaking a word. Naito stared at Sakura, and she stared at the fire, thoughts shifting through memories and recent circumstances. A small shiver moved over her skin at the thought of meeting her parent's murderer, and she went to rub her arms. She didn't get far. She winced at the sting that stabbed through her limbs, and for a moment she couldn't feel them. Sakura glanced at the cuts. Apparently, teleportation injuries didn't respond to healing jutsu like most other injuries did.

Naito fidgeted. The quiet was killing him, and it wasn't like Sakura was extremely comfortable, either. He had tried to help when she had been hurt, but she had been determined to do everything on her own. He didn't understand it, though. Every girl that he had come across had enjoyed being taken care of and being helped. But Sakura refused. She forced herself to build the fire even though she was bleeding.

And now, she just stared blankly at the fire, the light casting an odd glow over her face. He tilted his head, studying her. She was pretty – like a growing phoenix that was still spreading its wings, waiting for its beauty to develop.

The chuunin blinked, a single thought repeating itself in his head. _Oh shit_. He liked her. He actually liked Sakura Haruno of Konoha and medical apprentice of the Godaime Hokage and Sannin Tsunade. Well, that wasn't too bad, was it? Maybe it was the way she could completely kick his ass…

"Sakura-chan?"

No answer.

"Sakura-chan." This time, his voice was louder. The only sign that said she heard him was the small flick of her eyes in his direction. He gathered up his courage. "Do you like me?"

She blinked, taken aback by the question. Then, she rolled her eyes. It was one thing when the nickname "Sakura-chan" was getting awfully annoying, but it was another thing entirely to ask if she liked him. "Yeah, but you're a pain in the ass. You're terrible at moving out of the way, your chakra control is deplorable, and you pick things up very slowly. But I guess you're all right. You work hard."

He had a feeling she didn't quite understand what he had been implying. "So…"

The medic waved her hand. She didn't want to talk anymore, even if it did take her mind off of things. She sighed, staring at the fire and feeling bad for brushing off Naito. "Look, I'll keep teaching you. And I don't hate you. I get… frustrated."

Frustrated was an understatement in light of Sakura's temperament and the way she normally treated him when she got mad, but he didn't dare say anything else. It was something for Sakura to even apologize and admit her boisterous temper. However, he'd be content with her answer. At least he'd get to spend more time with her. But there was one other thing, and he had to interrupt her thoughts for this because it was important. He needed to know.

"Sakura-chan, what was that jutsu that guy used? You said you'd tell me, but you never did."

Green eyes lowered, and pale hands twisted together. Sakura looked into the forest, thinking about what she could and couldn't say without it possibly giving away information in Konoha's files. "It was a form of substitute jutsu."

"Substitute jutsu?"

"Yes," she nodded. "It's one of the highest forms. You transfer some of your energy and chakra into a dead body. The technician then connects his chakra to the chakra he inserted into the dead body and makes them 'come to life.' The dead body takes on the appearance of the technician, and even a good ninja cannot tell the real ninja from the dead one."

Her mouth tightened for a moment. _Shut down. Shut down. Shut down._

_Calm down. We're alright. We can do this._

_Yes… I can._

"It was the same guy, though. Samanji. He used the jutsu for something. Stalling? I'm not sure. Maybe it was to test our skills." She stared into the fire as she thought, the light catching something deadly in her eyes.

Naito thought she might mention something about his inability to respond in that particular situation, but she simply stared, and he knew the conversation was over – for the most part at least. He'd ask her more about it in the morning. He looked down, taking in the information. "Wow. I didn't know there was a jutsu like that." He paused for a minute. "It was Itachi, wasn't it? One of the most dangerous guys in Akatsuki, right?"

Sakura nodded, remembering all the times she and Naruto had run into Itachi or any of the other Akatsuki members. All of them had been dangerous, and it had taken so much out of the entire Rookie Nine to defeat everyone in Akatsuki.

"What was his jutsu called? How did he die?" Naito asked excitedly, leaning toward the fire in his enthusiasm.

The medic didn't take her green eyes off of the blaze. "I don't know," she murmured.

Naito sighed. That was definitely term for "classified." As much as he wanted to know, Sakura only knew what she had experienced or read from files. She belonged to Konoha, and she couldn't breach the contract of secrecy. "Sorry I asked," he said softly, and crossed his arms over his chest. Sakura shrugged.

_You keep thinking of him_.

Sakura inwardly frowned. _I thought you were done talking._

_Nope!_ her Inner smiled innocently.

_So? Then what are you talking to me for?_

Her Inner was serious again and shrugged, looking anywhere but at Sakura._ Like I said, you keep thinking of him._

_Oh… yeah._ Unfortunately, her Inner was right. The flames at which she stared kept morphing into his hair. Even though it was blond, the flames somehow made it seem right for his hair to be alive like fire. Near the base of the fire, the wood was red-hot, reminding her of what his eyes looked like when Kyuubi influenced him. Fire-red was more a color that implicated burning and disaster. But the blood red of Kyuubi's eyes influenced hatred and bone-chilling fear.

_But we've seen those eyes before. They're not always harmful. Remember? When we were shoved into his world?_

_How could I forget?_ Sakura snorted._ It was…_

_Exhilarating…_ her Inner crooned.

_Oh god,_ Sakura groaned. _Please don't tell me you liked his chakra._

Her Inner gave an exasperated sigh. _I can't tell you that I didn't like Kyuubi's chakra. I like it because you did. I only like it more because I'm your wild side. Well… and your crazier side._ She winked.

_Gee. Thanks._

_Oh, cut the sarcasm. So you like Naruto's chakra more than Kyuubi's. Fine. Not a big deal. But I know you like it because I am a part of you. Kyuubi's chakra is heavy and dark, but it's also alive with power. It makes you feel alive, and it has this sort of… spice… to it. I don't how to explain it better, idiot, but there you have it._

_Hey! I am _not_ an idiot._

_Yeah. Sure. Whatever_, her Inner rolled her eyes.

Sakura wanted to say something else, but held her tongue. Firelight danced in her preoccupied eyes, but she didn't see the flames. She licked her lips, and warmth tingled across the surface. She could still remember him. She could still remember the rain dripping off of her skin, the way his hands cradled her face, and the way he tasted when he had kissed her.

_I miss him,_ she blurted.

_I know._

_I miss him so much, but I wouldn't be able to look at him without crying and begging for his support. I can't do that anymore! I made myself promise! I have to be strong – to show that I can be as tough as he is! I have to!_ She was screaming by the time she was finished with her speech.

_I know! I know…_

_Ugh, and I keep thinking about the time he kissed me. It wasn't even that good a kiss, either! It was just normal._

Her Inner laughed, but it was kind albeit slightly rueful.

_Dammit,_ Sakura muttered in admittance. _It was a good kiss._

_He'd take care of you. You know that._

_Of course I do, but… What if that isn't what he wants? What if he doesn't want me like this? He probably still thinks I'm hung up on Sasuke._

_Are you?_

The question bounced in Sakura's mind. Was she still stuck on Sasuke? He had abandoned them long ago, but for a time she hadn't felt any differently about him. It wasn't like she hated him now, but when she thought of him, her heart ached, but it was small. She tried to picture being with him like she had been with Naruto on this trip.

The corners of her mouth tipped up. She had fallen asleep before she could give Naruto his present, but she knew he liked it. Just before her parents had died, she had seen him studying the pendant, moving it around in his fingers. Everything else – from their fight and their training sessions together to spying on a few recent (and very insignificant) teachers' meetings throughout the past few weeks – had brought them both closer to each other than they had even been a year ago. It was much nicer being around Naruto now than it had been before.

_We… We can't see it…_

_No… I can't._ And she couldn't see it. Sakura simply could not see her doing all of this with Sasuke. Even though he had the enigmatic charisma that she had admired when she was young, that didn't seem to appeal to her anymore. She liked talking and interacting with Naruto, especially since he had become more open to her. He liked talking to her and to others now; his old self was coming back.

_I think… I think I like Naruto._

_No, really? You only kissed him in the rain and wanted him to do it to you again for the entire rest of the day. And even now, too. So go figure, Forehead._

_Hey! You've got the same forehead I do, so don't you _dare_ call me Forehead!_

_Yeah, whatever, you—_

_Stop!_ Sakura suddenly yelled. _Just stop. I don't want to admit it! I never have. If I admit it I might act strangely around him, and I don't want to do that. Besides, he probably doesn't even want to have a relationship right now. It's better not to get my hopes up._

_Oh._

Sakura blinked, eyes flicking over to Naito. He hurriedly looked away. Sakura's depression heightened her irritability, and for some reason, Naito's obvious staring greatly annoyed her. She gritted her teeth and stood from the log, spreading her sleeping blankets over the floor and crawling into them. "I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight," Naito said, but she turned away from him onto her other side. Just this once, she let a tear slip silently over her nose and fall on the blanket. She wished she could confide in Naruto, cry on his shoulder, and let him help her. But she couldn't. She had promised him – and herself – so long ago that she wouldn't cry again. She would be strong and she wouldn't hold him back. But she felt so alone.

_Naruto… I miss you._

00000

"So, what jutsu are you teaching me exactly? And why are you showing it to me at night?" Naruto glanced over at Kakashi as the jounin led him out to the training field that they normally visited.

"Patience, patience," Kakashi admonished. "You'll see when we get there."

Naruto rolled his eyes, then looked at the ground and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Does he really have to come along? I mean, if this jutsu is as secretive as you say."

Kakashi smiled again. "You'll have to start working with him sometime, Naruto. His clan is made for summoning, and once he sees proof of your worth you'll be working with another fox. Am I right?" The jounin turned a single, inspective eye on the blood-red fox.

Chisoku nodded. "That's right."

The jinchuuriki looked at the fox, studying the silvery hue the fox's coat possessed in the moonlight. His black legs shimmered, and his eyes seemed to take on a strange, pale tint. Really, the fox wasn't that bad. Naruto had been working with Chisoku for the whole last week. The fox had finally seemed to take less time ordering Naruto around and more time studying and interacting with him.

The fox sighed and looked around the training grounds. "I will miss this, though."

"And what would that be?" Naruto questioned.

"This." Chisoku stopped and sat on the grass, paw suddenly jutting out and catching an insect. "Always living and seeing the same people everyday is plain boring. There's always drama this and drama that."

"So? What's that have to do with anything? That happens here, too."

Chisoku gave Naruto a sidelong glance. "But here, I can feel the change of the weather, I can see so many people here and study their odd ways, and I can work with them as well." Chisoku bored Naruto with another hard glance. "But most importantly," he continued, voice dropping to a whisper, "humans can be quite surprising."

Naruto stared at Chisoku, letting the fox's words sink into his mind. The summon glanced at the insect and snapped it up, powerful jaws crushing the locust with a distinct crunch. Naruto blinked in surprise, and Chisoku smiled wickedly, licking his chops and showing sharp, white teeth. When he moved off, even in the moonlight Naruto could see the way Chisoku held his body and the way he moved. Scores of muscle rippled underneath a silky coat.

The blonde had never taken the time to truly study Chisoku. The fox was the epitome of a perfect predator. Speed was settled in his muscles, ready to carry him anywhere he needed to go. Soft pads on the bottom of his paws assured silence, and his larger ears could catch almost any sound. Even if he were a summon, he deserved respect.

As Naruto walked to where Kakashi stood, Chisoku dug his paws into the ground and leapt up onto a tree trunk. Powerful claws dug into the bark, and Chisoku hopped onto a branch, settling down and twitching his tail, blood-red eyes regarding Naruto and Kakashi like a cat would watch a mouse.

Kakashi stopped and turned to his pupil, his masked face grave. "You remember the work required to create the Rasen-shuriken?"

"Of course." How could he forget? Kyuubi had assaulted his progress every step of the way. And Naruto had worked very extensively on it, and had been rewarded with everyone's awe and Kakuzu's death.

_Hey, I'm not that bad anymore, Twerp._

_At least you work with me relatively well, even if I don't want your chakra to help me._

_But I heal you all the time._

_Hmm… Good point._

"Well," Kakashi continued. "This jutsu is much harder." The jounin pulled out a scroll, handing it to Naruto and disbanding the seal that held the material bound to the roll of parchment. "Everything you need to know is in that scroll and on those pages. It contains a very special secret known only to one man. No one else can ever see these pages."

"But what jutsu is that important?" Naruto knew it was important for certain jutsu to be kept in one village – that way, secrets weren't stolen. However, unless the jutsu were forbidden, most of them were not that consequential.

The jounin's one eye closed, and a smile showed through his mask. "One that belonged to the Yondaime Hokage and Yellow Flash of Konoha."

"You mean—"

"That's right. The Haraishin no jutsu is very powerful; like I said before, even the Sharingan cannot copy it. It's a different kind of jutsu, not used through hand signals and certain amounts of gathered chakra, though chakra is certainly the most important part of it. Haraishin is something much more complicated."

Naruto blinked, speechless for a moment. The way Kakashi's voice dipped and the seriousness covering the forefront of his tone suggested something much worse than just "complicated." Naruto's glance was skeptical. "So what does this jutsu involve?" he asked warily.

Kakashi shrugged. "Just a formula to find holes in space so your body can move through them."

"Um…"

"Well, I'm off! Ja ne," the jounin said, turning away and lifting his hand to wave. Naruto opened his mouth to call Kakashi back. "Oh," he added. "Don't get caught in those spaces, either. You'll be stuck there forever." Kakashi's hands formed a sign and he disappeared.

"Damn it," Naruto muttered. He looked down, rifling through the pages and pages of notes. Formulas covered the old pieces of parchment, most scratched out and disproven by the next. However, there were bits and pieces of each formula that showed up in the next. Finally, the correct equation was circled. It was full of shapes Naruto didn't even know existed.

_No wonder he was the Yondaime._

_Because of the formula? This is just a simple formula, really. This kind of thing is instinct for bijuu. Granted we can't do a few things that regular shinobi do, but we move fast enough to appear invisible._

_Well, sorry humans aren't amazing like bijuu,_ Naruto mumbled sarcastically.

The demon growled. _You're right. Humans aren't as amazing as bijuu. Our power is beyond a human's understanding._

_Really now? We don't understand? Then how was I able to defeat Shukaku?_

_You summoned Gamabunta._

The blonde grumbled. _But I used my own chakra to summon him and for most of the fight. I used yours at the end because I needed more power. You burned me out anyway._

Kyuubi laughed darkly. _Well, you were only twelve. You couldn't handle using my chakra twice in one day. It was quite painful opening those chakra points after they were disrupted, eh? You didn't even flinch,_ Kyuubi added as an afterthought.

_Is that a compliment?_

_Perhaps._ The demon shrugged. _How will you figure out the formula?_

Naruto opened his mouth for a retort, but decided against it. _I don't know. From the diagram on this page it looks as if chakra is wrapped around the formula to find the weak spots in space._

_No,_ the demon shook his head. _Look again._

As Naruto looked at the page, his eyes widened. It wasn't a formula for space like Kakashi had suggested and he had thought. It was a formula to move his body. So then, what were the odd-shaped kunai for?

_Kyuubi?_

The bijuu scoffed. _You've never wanted my help before, Twerp. Why do you want it now?_

_This is going to be a difficult jutsu._

Blood-red eyes suddenly gazed callously at Naruto. _Has that ever stopped you before, boy? You have never asked me for anything but contribution of chakra and the occasional heal. I am not something for you to use so you can cheat. Figure this out on your own, Twerp._ Kyuubi turned away, shoulders stiff and implying his anger, but he looked back at Naruto for a moment. _It won't be that hard, Twerp. After all, it runs in the family._

_Wait, what? Kyuubi? Kyuubi!_ But the demon had already cut off communication. Naruto grumbled, slamming his fist on the ground. Like he had said once before: damn, cryptic fox. The blonde silently cursed the demon, but knew Kyuubi was right. Naruto had never asked for the demon's help; he had always managed every jutsu on his own power – a feat of which to be proud, especially since such monstrous power was at his disposal.

"Figure anything out yet?"

Naruto jumped, whirling around and preparing to gather his chakra. A twitch caught his eye, and he glanced up. "Chisoku," Naruto breathed, his entire body relaxing with relief. He had forgotten all about the summoning fox while he had been talking to Kyuubi.

Chisoku scoffed. "Who else would it be?"

The blonde shrugged, not wanting to start a fight with the fox. This whole time Sakura had been gone seemed like it was spent in fights – whether it was with an element, a jutsu, or a know-it-all summoning fox. Naruto sighed. He missed his teammate.

"Look," Chisoku started. "We need to start working together. I need to tell you about us so you don't insult one of us accidentally." Naruto stared at the fox, waiting for him for continue. "First off, foxes are very possessive and jealous. Especially if our mate is with—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Naruto threw his hands in front of him. "Who said _anything_ about mates? I don't have a mate and probably never will."

The summoning fox drilled Naruto with a hard stare. "You consider her your mate."

"No I don't." Naruto's posture was rigid, and he crossed his arms.

Chisoku rose from the branch, body low and shoulders hunched, looking like he was about to pounce. His blood-red gaze was intense and deadly. Black-lined lips suddenly pulled back, showing sharp, lethal white teeth. Naruto's eyes widened, but he didn't have time to put his hands in front of him. Chisoku pounced, claws digging into Naruto's chest and abdomen and shoving him to the ground. The fox was so close that his nose was touching Naruto's, and there was no mistaking the fire in Chisoku's eyes. Naruto felt Kyuubi close to the surface, ready to aid if needed.

"Yes, you do."

Naruto felt his eyes narrow. "Sakura is _not_ my mate. She doesn't think of me that way."

"But you do."

"And if I do?"

"I know you do.

"So?"

"To us that means everything."

"How?"

"If a female doesn't consider a male a mate, the male shows off, shows her his power to prove he will be a good mate."

The jinchuuriki suddenly grabbed the fox and threw him off, disregarding the pain Chisoku's claws caused as he felt his skin rip. The fox twisted in the air, landing on his feet and immediately turning to Naruto. Chisoku's lips writhed, a deadly growl rumbling in his throat. Red eyes blazed with obvious disdain for the boy across from him.

Naruto was crouched, ready for attack, chakra near the center of his palms and in the core of his body. His shirt was wet with blood, but he felt anger coating his veins. Why Chisoku continued to state that Sakura was his mate was beyond him. There was no way Sakura would think of him that way, and he was happier with being her friend. He would never try to force her to do anything.

"Just because the bijuu inside me is a fox does not mean I'm completely like one."

Chisoku circled. "You are pushing it, boy. You have absolutely no respect."

"Just because I test your authority doesn't mean I have no respect. I don't like the way you operate and try to boss me around." Naruto felt the chakra whir in his palm. It was ready.

"Live with it," the fox growled. Naruto barely crossed his fingers before a clone appeared behind the fox, reaching for its tail and grabbing it. With a vicious snarl, Chisoku reached back, dispatching the clone with one swipe of his paw.

The fox shot forward, charging at Naruto with surprising speed. The blonde shoved his palm out, chakra buzzing in the empty space and magnetizing toward Chisoku. The fox turned in midair, the blast of chakra grazing his left front leg. He felt the muscles shake, surprised such powerful chakra came from one so arrogant. But there had been no chakra from the Kyuubi in that blow. In fact, Chisoku had never seen the boy use it even when it could have been helpful.

Ten more clones appeared, fighting around the fox. No matter what Chisoku did, the clones just never stopped appearing.

"Admit it!" Naruto yelled. "Admit that Sakura isn't my mate!"

"Never!" Chisoku refused to admit anything. "I saw the way you stepped in front of her when I stared at her, wishing there was a fox like her! I know foxes! I know our basic instincts!"

"She doesn't want me!"

Chisoku turned, using all of his weapons to get rid of the clones. Teeth snapped viciously at some while his claws purged others. One was able to land a good punch to Chisoku's face, jostling his brain and causing his vision to spin for a moment. The fox retaliated with a vengeance. Clones began disappearing faster than they were created. He was on fire, unable to believe this boy's audacity and defiance.

"You love her!" Chisoku yelled, suddenly breaking through the wall of clones and launching himself at Naruto. The blonde moved, but not fast enough. Claws raked across Naruto's skin, digging scratches from the back of his neck to his chin. Clones disappeared as Naruto stumbled back, pain filling his head with a cloudy haze. "Everyone knows you do," Chisoku continued. "You've claimed her, and will claim her eventually, even if she doesn't want you to."

An animalistic growl ripped itself from Naruto's throat. Anger shoved his conscious into a stream of only one thought: _never_. He would never force Sakura to do something she didn't want to do, especially if was something like that. "Bastard." Naruto slowly stood to his feet. "Take. That. Back," he growled, voice tainted as Kyuubi's chakra wrapped around his vocal chords.

Suddenly, everything sharpened. Naruto's eyes widened, realizing Kyuubi had started to entwine his power with his host's. _Kyuubi, no. You can't do this. Please._

_He will pay for saying that._

_I will make him pay. Not you, Kyuubi._

_But he insulted her! He said that you would take her like some common animal!_

_Kyuubi, stay out of this._

"He insulted her!" Naruto's eyes widened. The words had come out of his mouth, but he hadn't said them. His gaze met Chisoku's, and fox was frozen solid, staring at Naruto in astonishment.

_Dammit, Kyuubi, what the hell just happened?_

The demon was panting. _He said it… It was just like what _he _said about her…_

_Listen to me, Kyuubi, you have got to tell me what's going on._

Chisoku shook his head. He did not like being ignored, especially when chakra levels were raging out of control. "Listen to me, boy, I will not be ignored! I am a fox and one is sealed inside of you. It has influenced you, and you will take her. It is only a matter of time before you take her."

Kyuubi roared within Naruto, demanding retribution, and the jinchuuriki agreed. All of his attention focused on the insulting, blood-red fox. _Wait, Kyuubi, what are my eyes like?_

The demon settled into a crouch, paws against the bars of his cage. _They're slitted. It'll give you the eyesight you need without making your eyes red. You're muscles are infused with my chakra to help you move faster. And your ears can hear every sound for a mile. Now, kill him, Twerp! Rip his heart out!_

Naruto grinned. _Certainly._ The blonde advanced on the summoning fox, but Chisoku stood his ground, lowering his frame and growling at Naruto.

"You will. I know you will. It's just a matter of time."

"Chisoku. Take that back."

The fox narrowed his eyes. "No." This was ridiculous and he refused to back down.

A wicked grin spread across Naruto's face. "Wrong answer." A thousand clones filled the training field, and Chisoku glanced around, surprised by the number of shadow clones Naruto had produced. Chakra filled the air, and the clones rushed at Chisoku, crowding the fox and pushing him into a corner. In a second, Chisoku had taken on the offensive, attacking the clones with everything he had. A blast of chakra blew away five clones, and his claws dispelled another.

Naruto pushed chakra through his body, creating more shadow clones to distract Chisoku while a rasengan rotated in his palm. He weaved through the crowd of his clones, trying to keep the jutsu hidden from Chisoku's sight. Another clone charged the fox, and puffed away when Chisoku's teeth closed around the clone's throat. Naruto swallowed, but shoved his eyebrows together in determination. He moved with Chisoku, twisting around clones and stepping in front of others. Finally, the moment came.

The rasengan whirred in Naruto's palm, and Chisoku glanced at Naruto, eyes widening as the jutsu's power expanded as the blonde shoved his hand into the ground. Dirt churned and flew everywhere, and blew the fox away as well as the clones behind him. Chisoku crashed to the ground and slowly stood, staring at the many Narutos still in front of him. All of them thrust their hands together, and Chisoku took a step back, wary of what they were doing.

Water rushed up from the ground, beading in little dewdrops that were held in suspension above the ground. Another clone whipped up the rasengan, adding it to the chakra controlling the water around them. With a loud cry, Naruto shoved the chakra together, the drops thinning to needles of ice that were sharper than swords. The jinchuuriki thrust his chakra out, and the needles flew, most imbedding themselves in the ground while a few other felled a tree. One zipped through the air and struck Chisoku in the leg.

The fox howled, eyes blazing as the pain shot through his body. The ice was crushed when Chisoku snapped at the needle, but blood still trickled down his leg. All of Naruto's clones were dispersed, and Chisoku took the chance. He charged toward the blonde, paw swiping across the panting jinchuuriki's back to rip away some skin and completely destroying his black t-shirt.

_The seal_. Chisoku had never seen the seal that kept the Kyuubi locked in the boy, but it looked complicated. It was black and pulsing slightly, almost alive in the way it rippled with Naruto's skin over his muscles. Blood dripped down his abdomen from the previous scratches. There was a cut on his lip, and the three long claw marks from the back of his neck to his chin. His hands were burned and his body was shaking from chakra loss. His eyes quivered from blue to red, then back to blue.

"Don't discount me, yet," Naruto grunted, small smile lighting his face. He produced more clones, all attacking Chisoku at the same time.

_Kid, watch it. You're using too much chakra._

_Shut up, Kyuubi. I'll be fine._

Naruto was close. He knew it. He moved with the clones, dancing around Chisoku and hitting him with mild chakra punches. After all, he definitely did not have Sakura's chakra control nor was he trained the proper way to deliver proper chakra punches.

_I need something else…_ Suddenly, something clicked. _Kyuubi, how big can a transformation jutsu be?_

The demon thought for a moment. _It can only be as big as your body._

_Well, then,_ Naruto grinned.

_Twerp… What are you thinking?_

_Oh, you'll see._

A burst of chakra surrounded him when he shouted, "Henge!"

Kyuubi smiled sadistically. _Perfect._

The world was a lot further down, and everything seemed smaller than it had before, including Chisoku. Naruto smiled, showing a row of impossibly sharp teeth. Clones disappeared, and Chisoku stared, completely speechless. Naruto glanced behind him, pleased to see nine blood-red tails swinging petulantly behind him.

_Help me with this one, Kyuubi._

_Certainly, Twerp._

Naruto opened his mouth, letting Kyuubi take control of his voice. A roar filled the air, shaking everything in its path with its sheer power. When he stopped, Naruto glared at Chisoku, letting the summon fox take whatever knowledge he wanted from the roar. Naruto was pissed, and he knew Kyuubi was, too. The blonde felt Chisoku gather his power, and his size increased, becoming equal to that of Naruto's. Naruto lowered his head, vicious growls slipping through his throat.

Suddenly, Chisoku rushed, raking his claws against Naruto's sides and down his legs. He roared in pain, but slashed back, causing blood to mix in with Chisoku's equally red coat. Teeth clashed, noses and front legs turned bloody.

_Damn. I can't hold this up much longer._

_Kid, look out!_

Naruto glanced to his side, but he was too late. Chisoku barreled into his side, digging his claws in as far as they would go. The pain was too much, and the transformation jutsu disappeared. The summon fox returned to his normal size, panting as well. In a last effort to protect himself, Naruto created his shadow clones.

_Almost there!_

The fox fought with renewed vigor, dispelling one clone and moving to the next when something whirred just beneath his chin. He could feel the blades cutting off the tips of his fur, and he held himself still, surprised at the sheer power emanating from the jutsu. Naruto was bleeding and breathing hard and his hand was shaking, but he brought the churning blades closer to Chisoku's throat.

"Admit it," Naruto panted, sweat beading on his forehead. "I don't need to know about that and I never will. Even if Kyuubi decided to try to escape, I wouldn't let him. I'd die before he could."

The summoning fox glanced down at the jutsu still activated beneath his chin before gathering all his chakra into one paw. His eyes narrowed and he reared back, using his leftover chakra to protect himself from the jutsu's power. His paw smashed into Naruto's hand, effectively expelling the jutsu and shoving the jinchuuriki's hand into the ground. The blonde cried out as Chisoku used his other paw to hit higher up his arm, a loud crunch heard across the training ground.

Naruto felt tears fill his eyes at the pain in his hand and arm. This amount of pain was only present in a broken bone, but something else snapped through his body besides pain. Angry red chakra surrounded his hands, readjusting the bones and shoving his shoulders further apart. His ribs popped, and the pain froze his muscles.

_Kyuubi, no! Please stop!_

_Stay out of this, Twerp. Insolent fool of a summon! There was no reason for this! I will teach him a lesson for his indiscretion and total disobedience!_

_What do you mean?_

_He's a summon! He is supposed to obey his summoner. He didn't need to break your hand or your arm. He's looking for an excuse to show his powers and I will not stand for this!_

_But—_

A yowl broke through Naruto's concentration, and he saw Chisoku quivering with pain. His eyes were filled with fear, and Naruto could see the cloak that was beginning to form over his body reflected in Chisoku's eyes. Naruto could hear the summoning fox's quick pants, and he was surprised that the fox somehow wasn't destroyed by the Rasen-shuriken.

White light exploded behind Naruto's eyes. _Kyuubi, please!_

The demon hesitated.

_Please._ The pain from his broken arm and hand had tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn't care. He couldn't let Kyuubi out in front of Chisoku. That would prove the fox's point of view that Naruto didn't even try. Well, he did. He had trained under Jiraiya, went to Gamabunta's home to learn how to work with Gamakichi, and developed his own jutsu. He had learned how to manipulate water, and had partially been successful at mixing wind and water to form an ice jutsu. All of that training would be for nothing if Kyuubi took over him.

The chakra cloak disappeared, and Naruto flopped onto his back, panting and wincing slightly as the demon sent the better part of his chakra to heal Naruto's right arm. Cerulean eyes glanced over to see Chisoku's wide and disbelieving gaze.

"How… You were… The cloak…"

"Kyuubi was angry," Naruto grunted.

"But you stopped it from taking over you… How…?"

"I've had to stop Kyuubi from taking over me for almost as long as I can remember. I've fought his chakra almost all my life. I haven't always succeeded… Anger is one of our similarities." Naruto grimaced as a bone snapped. Tears dripped down the side of his face as he continued to lay still.

Chisoku shivered. "That power… I have never felt anything like it." It was the most angry, powerful, and deadly chakra that Chisoku had ever felt. And for a mere human to deal with that every day… "How is that jutsu of yours so powerful?" The fox had to get a hold of himself. Shivering like this was ridiculous.

"It's a forbidden jutsu."

"And?"

"Tsunade made it forbidden because it kills my opponent by delivering a death of millions of constant needles destroying every cell in a body. Apparently, not even Sharingan can follow all of the hits. Its main reason is because it causes me—" Naruto grunted as Kyuubi reached the tendons and bones of his forearm. "It causes the bearer damage as well."

_Hold on, kid. I've got to heal these fractures right._

Chisoku saw the sweat covering Naruto's body as he lay still and completely rigid. "What's wrong?"

"Multiple… fractures," Naruto managed.

_Kid, this is too much. If you stay conscious you could die._

"N-No…" he murmured, unaware that he was speaking out loud. "I… can…"

_Twerp, I'm going to make you unconscious._

_But, Kyuubi, I'll be fine…_

_Nope. Not gonna fly, kid. I'm putting you out. I'll tell your fox friend what to do._

_You can…?_ And with that, Naruto lost consciousness.

00000

A pale finger grazed the length of sharp, receptive steel, lacing it with deadly chakra. The sword shivered, trying to hold the extra chakra being shoved between its folds of metal. At the sound, the finger ceased its movement, pulling out the chakra the sword couldn't hold. Now devoid of chakra, the finger swirled around the sword, thoughts possessing its owner to carelessly move it over the sword.

She moved her hand and balled it into a fist. Needless to say, it was obvious his power was growing; there wasn't a soul in Amegakure that shouldn't have felt the power in the fight that had taken place a few hours ago. His power was much greater than she had thought. Her upper lip lifted into a snarl. She hated surprises. She was the one that gave them. No one was ever able to surprise her.

Except one. Or maybe two. But mostly just one.

She hated him. She had felt the power in that fight, a glimpse of what the full power of nine tails would be. Granted, most of that had been the boy's chakra, but for a moment, she had felt the glimmering power. Oh, it would add greatly to her dreams and her… well, it wasn't really revenge. Nobody had really taken anything from her. However, there were people that needed to be taught a lesson.

She grunted and slammed her fist on the chair's armrest, and snapped her fingers. A medic walked quickly into the room, kneeling onto one knee and bowing their head in respect. "Yes, my lady?"

"How's the machine?" her voice was clipped as she examined her nails, pink lips pursed in frustration.

"It is… still broken, my lady," the medic said slowly. She kept her hands on the floor, but her eyes looked everywhere except the beautiful and powerful woman before her.

"Broken?" She stood quickly, hands on her hips and voice rising dangerously. "Why is it still broken? I demand to know!"

"Please, my lady!" the medic bowed even lower. "It holds too much chakra! It's completely full!"

She placed a finger on her lip, eyes moving as she thought. "It should have enough compartments. Our engineers made sure that it was made to hold only the best of chakra, and a lot of it. Why has this gone wrong?"

"I don't know, my lady."

"Suishou, the compartments have sorted the chakra, have they not?"

"Yes, my lady," Suishou answered, still not daring to look up even though her nose was mere inches away from the floor.

"They're all blue?"

"No. One of them is light green."

She scoffed. "Amateurs. That's a mixture of various second-rate chakra. It could come in handy as throwaway chakra, but that wouldn't be good. It'd encourage improper handling…" She continued to think out loud until she snapped her fingers. The medic bowed on the floor jumped at the sound. "Suishou, empty the bin of mediocre chakra. That should give us plenty of space for it to sort out more of the top rate chakra we've been collecting. How long will that take?"

"Just a few days, my lady," Suishou said quickly. "The team underneath me will be making sure the chakra does not go to waste and that no one will be able to find it. My specialty will come in handy, my lady, and I will assure you that no one will find the chakra of which we have disposed.

Cold, blue eyes stared at Suishou, appraising her before taking on a cool, pleased look. "Very good, Suishou. I have no doubt you will do well." She sighed and sat back down, examining the nails on her other hand now. "That is all. Make sure your job is done well."

"Yes, my lady." With that, Suishou disappeared.

Another snap of her fingers, and someone else appeared before her. "Izanami, where is your partner? He should be here with you."

"I do not know. I have managed to keep a slight control over him, but it's getting harder each time."

"Damn it." She stood and paced the room. Finally, she stopped, eyes shining a cold, icy blue. "Well, when Samanji gets back, he won't know what hit him. Retribution is at hand. After all, he has slowed my plans. What better way to make him see the light than punishment?"

A wicked smile dawned her face, and a menacing laugh filled the room.

00000

Everything was blurry. Soft light sifted across his vision, and he closed his eyes, wincing as pain shot through his head. Naruto tried to move, but his body protested. It felt like he had been hit by one of Kakashi's especially vicious jutsu. He forced himself onto his elbows, squinting and blinking to clear his eyesight.

_Cheh, about time, Twerp._

_Kyuubi!_

_Who else would it be?_ The demon sounded slightly offended.

Naruto laughed slightly. _No, no, I'm just… I'm happy to hear you in my head oddly enough._

The demon scoffed, laying down in his cage and wrapping his tails around his legs to keep them warm. _Careful, Twerp. You're getting sentimental._

_Oh, shut up, damn fox. What the hell happened anyway?_

_Nothing really, _Kyuubi shrugged. _Kakashi came shortly after you passed out, and I didn't get a chance to tell that stupid bastard off. I would have loved to make him cower beneath my authority and power._ The demon's fur ruffled, a snarl lifted his lips, and chakra swirled around the empty space.

_Calm down, Kyuubi. I'm pretty sure he was scared enough. _Naruto rubbed his hands over his face and stared sleepily at the wall in front of him. _How long have I been out?_

_Two days._

The jinchuuriki's eyes widened. _Two days?!_

_Well, your teacher didn't help much,_ Kyuubi muttered, looking away with slight disdain and annoyance. _He almost took out the seal that stops my chakra from reaching you, but I was lucky he saw one of the scratches I was healing or else you'd still be out of it._

Naruto felt a sudden burst of thankfulness to the demon. _Well… Thanks._

_Don't thank me, boy. Getting sentimental gets you in trouble. Take it from one who knows._

Blue eyes glanced nervously around the room. _Um, Kyuubi, what happened? I keep thinking about that dream of yours that I saw. Why were you so angry that Chisoku insulted Sakura? I mean, she's not yours, and she definitely isn't mine, but I still don't understand…?_

The bijuu sighed. _You had to ask, didn't you, Twerp?_ For a moment, the demon deliberated, then opened his mouth to speak. _Emiko had a brother. He hated anything that wasn't normal. He was already upset at his sister for being a ninja. Somehow, he ended up like his father – unable to gather chakra. He blamed it on Emiko._

_He found out that she was pregnant, with my child no less. He was furious. He insulted her, and he claimed that I had made her have sex with me._ Kyuubi's red eyes suddenly blazed. _As if I would do that to her! It was her choice, not mine! I was worried about it all, but somehow…_ And just like that, Kyuubi's eyes softened, seeing something that Naruto couldn't. The demon shook his head. _That was a while ago. It reminded me of that time. Now leave it alone._

This time, Kyuubi didn't bother to cut off the connection, and Naruto didn't push the issue. He was glad the demon didn't think he always had to cut off the connection between them. After all, it wasn't bad that Kyuubi didn't want to talk about it, even if the blonde knew the demon wasn't telling him everything.

_By the way,_ Kyuubi added, glancing over his broad shoulder. _Sakura's waiting for you outside of the room._

Naruto's eyes widened, and he threw the sheets off of his legs, ignoring the dizziness that possessed his equilibrium as he threw the door open. Sakura was talking with Kakashi but stopped, a smile gracing her face as she looked at her teammate. Naruto felt as if he were whole again. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her.

"Naruto…"

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured, leaning against the wall as his legs threatened to give way under his body's weight. Suddenly seeing her gave him strength, yet it made his knees feel as weak as when he had first seen her so long ago.

"Bakanaro," she mumbled, stepping over to him and tracing her fingers over Naruto's bare chest and arms, examining the cuts that hadn't quite healed yet. "You must be more careful, idiot. Kakashi-sensei told me what happened." Her fingers were gentle as always, and a spike of adrenaline shot through Naruto's veins. And yet, something was off. Her voice did not hold its normal tone; she sounded… distant.

Naruto tilted his head, catching Sakura's eye. She caught her breath and looked away, body stiffening as she shook her head back and forth. "Naruto, let it go. Don't bring it up." The warning was clear and firm, and cold.

"Sakura, what have you—"

"Kaa-san!" An excited yell filled the silent hall, and a brilliant smile lifted Sakura's face as Kaori jumped into the medic's arms. Naruto frowned. Her eyes weren't sparkling. The jade was dull, making the smile on her face looked forced.

_Sakura… you always were a bad liar._

After Kaori hugged Sakura tightly, her grey eyes were suddenly grave. "Kaa-san! It's terrible! Oto-san has bad news."

"Oh?" Sakura asked, glancing at her teammate. "Is that true?"

It didn't take a genius to know what Kaori was talking about. The experience was still fresh in Naruto's mind, and he suddenly held his arms out for Kaori to join him. He had to feel her and make sure she was safe. Kaori laughed and hugged Naruto tightly, turning to Sakura with an adorable smile on her young face. "Oto-san has been keeping me close 'cause he's worried. He said I coulda died."

A flash of worry passed through Sakura's eyes, but in a moment, it was gone. "Died?"

Naruto looked away, and the expression on his face changed Sakura's countenance. "Naruto, what happened?"

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Masuyo and Takara were murdered," he whispered.

"Oh."

Anger suddenly burned in his chest. "That's all you can say?"

The medic ignored his outburst. "Kaori, have they already been buried?"

The little girl shook her head. "No, Kaa-san."

"Well, let's go make sure their burial is one that Amegakure will remember." Sakura picked Kaori up and held her as she walked away, not even casting Naruto a parting glance. His fists clenched.

This wasn't right. It was just like before she had left. What Sakura had helped Naruto to overcome was now holding her captive as well. This wasn't the Sakura he knew, even if something bad did happen. He used to close himself off to everyone, but not anymore, not since Sakura had been there for him to help him through it.

He would do the same for her.

_Kyuubi? I'll need your help._

_Oh? What for?_

_What would insult Sakura to make her angry enough that she'd destroy a field? Or something to that effect?_

_You're asking me, Twerp? Go figure it out yourself._ Kyuubi yawned, exposing the rows of long, sharp teeth before his eyes closed sleepily.

Naruto stared at the spot that Sakura had vacated long ago. He would not let this fester; Sakura was above it, and he knew that she would want to live her life to the fullest, not a spirit separated from her true self.

Something had to happen, and it had to happen now. Suddenly, Naruto smiled. He knew just the trick.

00000

**A/N:** Well, that was a long chapter! I actually had a lot more planned for this chapter, and then it just developed into what's here, so I had to cut it a lot shorter or it might have been 35+ pages. Now, nothing is wrong with that, however, you guys would not have gotten to read this chapter so soon. I figured I owed it to my readers to publish this chapter ASAP.

Hope you guys liked the chapter!

- wolf's paradise


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Chapter fifteen up! I hope you guys like this chapter – it's a nice, long 28 pages! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

* * *

"_You! How the hell are you here?" Sakura crouched down, ready for any possible attack. Her chakra was ready and her fingers tightened on the kunai in her hand. Naruto was beside her, ready for attack as well, but he kept glancing at her as if he was worried she would suddenly abandon him. In truth, Sakura was surprised herself. She had only thought that this was what she would do, but now that it had come, she was relieved her actions proved true to her thoughts._

"_Sasuke…" Naruto's disbelieving voice echoed in her ears._

_She took a slight step in front of her teammate, eyes widening as she glanced at him. Red fox ears had sprouted on his head, and his canines were sharp and pointed, as were the rest of his teeth. For a moment, she thought the ears were parts of the forming chakra cloak, but they looked solid and furry._

_Sakura shook her head to concentrate, and Naruto's ears disappeared. "Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Her green eyes blazed, portraying her anger at her teammate. His betrayal was still fresh, even though it had been at least six years since he had left._

_The Uchiha shrugged and looked away, but there was an emotion in his eyes – something Sakura had not seen in a while._

_Naruto moved forward, eyes locked with Sasuke's, and Sakura furiously grabbed for the blonde's arm. "Naruto, what are you doing?" she almost yelled._

_Bright blue eyes gazed at her worried face, softening as a hand came up to carress her face. She leaned into it, dimly aware that Saskue hadn't moved or taken advantage of their lack of concentration. She felt tears in her eyes, knowing something terrible was about to happen, but not sure what it was. Her eyes shuddered as Naruto gave her that look. Just as soon as she shuddered, his eyebrows pushed together._

"_I love you, Sakura. I wish we could've had more time together…"_

_Her head was shaking as his blue eyes glanced at the ground. "No," she muttered._

_He swallowed difficulty, and looked in her eyes again, his own pleading with her to understand his need to do this. "I have to save you. You have to live, my love. I can't let you die while I live."_

My love…?

_She couldn't believe this was happening. It was worse, so much worse than any nightmare she could have imagined. Her chest constricted as she frantically searched his eyes, finding nothing but truth and determination in their steady gaze. "Naruto, my love, _please_ don't do this to me. I need you. Last night—" Both her eyes and voice dropped._

_Another emotion entered Naruto's gaze, and he rested a hand tenderly on her waist. "And it was all I ever wanted. _You_ are all I have ever wanted."_

_Her gaze whirled up and her jade eyes flashed like brilliant green fire. "So don't give me up! Fight! Fight to stay alive; I know you can!" She took a gasping breath, Naruto's serenity shoving her mind into a panic. "You can't leave me. You can't." She refused to believe it._

"_Last night was the best one of my life, Sakura. I wouldn't ever leave you unless I had to. And I have to. I can't let you die!" His voice rose, desperation thickening his voice. His eyes clouded over, tears threatening to fall down his cheeks._

_And still, Sakura found it strange that he hadn't attacked them yet._

Wait… He changed…

"_Naruto, please," she whispered desperately._

"_I have no choice!" he shouted, and yet it sounded as if he were fighting an invisible cage that held him bound to the ridiculous notion that he had to die. Just as soon as his burst of rebellion came, it deflated. "I have no choice, love…"_

_Her hands trembled, knowing that if she couldn't get him to fight back, it was useless. She sniffled. "I'm sorry, my love…" and Sakura thrust her chakra into Naruto's core, disrupting his normal flow of chakra and bringing him to his knees._

"_Sakura, no! NO!"_

_She burst off, chakra in her hands as she neared her opponent, standing there as if nothing in the world could bother him. "Tonight, you die!"_

That was…

_Something was wrong._

Samanji…

_His chakra whirled around Sakura, and blood spattered everywhere as time seemed to stand still. White light encompassed both of them, thrusting Sakura into a haze of eternity. The sound of claws and gnashing teeth echoed in her ears, and she shoved her chakra toward the sounds. Pain suddenly exploded through her body._

He… Samanji kills me…

_He stood still, resolute, no cuts or bruises on his skin to indicate he had just taken many of Sakura's famed chakra punches. His black eyes glistened with insane pleasure. Blood covered her hands and dripped away from a wound in her stomach._

_Everything was blurry. It moved in snatches of film like a stunted seen during a fight. Naruto had raced forward, fighting the person in front of him in a haze of oddly bright light. Sakura tried to reach out to him, but she couldn't move her limbs. Fresh blood jumped across her vision, and her heart pumped louder, a last attempt to keep her alive._

_Naruto fell beside her, and a silent scream escaped her lips. Her body protested, but she forced it to move, but her progress was slow and tedious. Tears were streaking down her cheeks as she checked Naruto's body as best as she could, but he wasn't moving. He coughed, the only indication he was alive, and her heart leapt with hope. It didn't last long. _

"_I…" he coughed, and the visions blurred in front of her eyes._

"_No."_

"_Love."_

"_NO!"_

"_You…" His blue eyes were blank. Their sparkle was gone; there was nothing left in them but the fading light and his eyes' growing dullness._

"_NO!" she shouted continuously. "NO!" Her strength was leaving her… Her vision was blurring amidst grief and pain. She was dying…_

"NO!"

Sakura sat up, chest heaving. She glanced around the dark room frantically, hands touching her face and feeling the streaks of tears shed during her sleep. She checked her body, finding herself all in one piece. A sob wrenched itself from her throat as she glanced at Naruto, running her hands over his body. Chakra assurance wasn't enough. She ripped his shirt, hands skimming over the warm skin. No cut. No blood.

He was all right.

She placed her head in her hands and cried, the salty solute sticking to her skin. She had dreamed this nightmare before. Naruto had died in the last one, and he had died in this one. She wouldn't be able to bear it if anyone else she cared about died. Especially Naruto. If he died… She didn't know what she'd do.

Her body trembled, and she glanced at the sky. Dawn was approaching. Green eyes flicked to Naruto's exposed chest, and Sakura rested her head on his ribs, relishing in the feeling of his warmth and the slow rise and fall of his breathing.

For a moment, she laid there, eyes closed and letting her tears slowly ebb away. With a sniffle she stood from the bed, chest clenching as she glanced at Naruto's peaceful body. She hurriedly turned away and stepped into her ninja outfit. It was time for Naito's lessons anyway; he had made her promise to continue helping him with his reflexes when they had returned to Amegakure.

Her breath hitched as she chanced one last glance at her teammate. "Stay safe," she whispered. "Please… Please don't die." Her voice broke on the last word, and she quickly moved out the door, closing it quietly behind her. She wiped her face of the tear tracks, gathering her strength and imagining a hard, steel box forming around every emotion inside.

Outside, to anyone else, she was strong and resolute.

Inside, she felt like crumbling to the floor in thousands of pieces. And no one was there to pick her up. She had to detach herself from him, from the object that seemed to make her life worth living. If she lost him… ever… She wouldn't be able to deal. She had to push Naruto away, if only for his good. She wouldn't lead him on and risk another cut to his already scarred heart, and she couldn't continue to hurt herself with these visions of his death. Just the mere _thought_ of him dead caused panic to well inside of her, much less having to live through nightmares of his passing. No. She had to distance herself from him.

An overwhelming sense of loneliness crashed over her. She was on her own.

* * *

Wood splintered beneath raw and bloody knuckles. He gritted his teeth, fighting the red chakra freely seeping into his veins and adding to his anger. Fists clenched as pain stung his hands, but he refused to pay the dripping blood any attention. His body shook, protesting the amount of work he'd already put it through the entire morning.

_Look, Twerp—_

_Shut up, Kyuubi! I don't need your sarcasm or useless input._

The demon's eyes blazed, and his hackles rose dangerously. _Fine,_ he said coldly, _continue to kill yourself. I could care less._

As soon as Kyuubi's voice faded, Naruto regretted his outburst. Kyuubi had just been looking out for him, but it was so hard not to be angry. Nothing he was doing was working. He had tried to make her angry, break something inside of her to wake her up as they sparred, but she had simply glared at him. And then, that night…

Naruto's felt his knees give way, and he slipped down the nearest tree until he was sitting on the cool grass. He sighed heavily, thoughts swirling in disarray. It had been a week since Naruto had sparred with Sakura, and a week since he had first witnessed her outburst that night. It had been hard to stay still when she had ripped his shirt open, searching for something he knew not. All he knew was that she had been shaking terribly, and his heart had jumped as her hands had skidded across his chest. And what was the last thing she said all about?

He panted as his anger withered and left him breathless. "Why would I kill myself?" he muttered.

_Because you're a selfish, idiotic, ridiculous, and stupid little Twerp,_ Kyuubi spoke acidly.

_Kyuubi… Look, I didn't mean to snap at you. I just… She hasn't talked to me for the whole week. She keeps having those nightmares and will hardly even look at me, and I don't know why!_ Naruto realized that by the end of that he was shouting.

The demon shifted and blinked, but his red eyes were still cold. _Not my fault._

_Damn it! I don't know what to do!_ Suddenly, his eyes widened. _I saw her with that chuunin from before – Naito whatever. She was with him on the training grounds, working with him…_ Naruto's stomach plummeted. _Oh…_

_Twerp, I—_

_It's okay, Kyuubi. I'll be fine._

The demon seemed suddenly insistent on speaking. _Kid, I don't think that's true. She might be at the training grounds with him but it might not mean anything. She doesn't think that. Besides, you're not fine._

_How can it not be what I think, Kyuubi? How do you know she doesn't like him?_

Kyuubi's eyes slid away for a moment before he looked back at his host. _I just know._

_That's not—_

"Naruto!"

He looked to his right, heart pounding as his eyes rested on the pink-haired medic walking toward him. He felt a hand squeeze his chest. Just figuring everything out… He couldn't believe that she was seeing Naito—that she actually liked him! What about how she had kissed him, or everything else between them? Or had everything simply been a dream?

_It wasn't a dream, Kid. I would know._

Naruto continued to watch her as she stepped closer to where he sat on the training filed. She stopped in front of him, attempting to hide her face, but Naruto could feel the distance between them. It was as if an invisible barrier had been erected, cutting off normal conversation that should have come easily for them.

Frustration crept through his body, and his voice was sharper than he intended. "What do you need?"

Her eyes narrowed as she watched him stand. "There's another teacher's meeting tonight. Kaori overheard and told me about it. We need to go, see if there's anymore information we can gather."

Naruto knew that he had no right to lecture Sakura about her attitude; he had disrespected Jiraiya by ceasing to trust his friends. But he knew what Sakura was going through. He knew that it hurt to have everything taken away from you—to quit or to give up. He had to show her. She had to know that she was the reason he had changed.

"So…" she started when Naruto didn't answer. "What have you been doing?" It was a stupid question, and Sakura regretted asking it the moment the words left her mouth. Anyone glancing around the training field could guess that Naruto had been training from the ruined state of many trees and the small fissures littering the ground.

Naruto looked up at her, ignoring her last question. His voice shook. "You didn't love them." It was a bold accusation, but he felt it was needed. He at least, had done everything he could when Sasuke left. He had hurried to assist Garra when the Akatsuki had taken him. And Gaara had lived, but at the cost of a different life. Naruto had mourned her, too. Then there was the Sandaime, and the overwhelming satisfaction he had felt when he had been able to save Tsunade from most of her despair.

Sakura wasn't mourning her parents; she was disgracing their death.

"Excuse me?" Her voice was thick with shock, but something dormant lay just beneath the surface. He didn't care. He had to know she still felt something – anything.

"You didn't love your parents. You're disgracing their death, Sakura." His intonation held a note – some sort of pity – that kept his voice calm and yet somehow sounding entirely disgusted with the teammate standing in front of him.

"And how is that?" she said coldly, tone her tone as unforgiving as ice.

"You come here, preaching to me about letting people in, and yet here you are doing the exact same thing you accused me of doing." Naruto drew closer to her face. "You are pushing me away, Sakura, and damn it, I won't let you!"

"You… Won't… _Let_… _Me?_" Anger simmered just beneath the surface, and Naruto felt a gush of relief. He was still in time…

"You can't get rid of me, Sakura."

Everything burst. "Who are you to tell me what to do? 'You won't let me' my _ass_!"

"I know—"

"How the hell can you _possibly_ understand what I'm going through? You know nothing about what's been bothering me; absolutely nothing!" Her fists were clenched, and her face was flushed with anger. All her fears were bubbling inside of her, and she used her anger as an outlet.

Naruto hesitated. He was angry with her, but he knew she wasn't completely aware of what she was saying. Because if anything, he _did_ know what she was going through. A smile reached his face, but it was sad, _pitying_. Sakura hated it with every fiber of her being until… "Well, you might as well be dead with them; they don't deserve to have you as a daughter."

For a tense moment, disbelief and shock burned the silence surrounding them.

A fist flew out and crunched against his jaw. Pain jolted through his head and the rest of his body, leaving disorientation in its wake. He could see her clenched fists shaking, the urge overcoming her as she punched him again and again. She couldn't seem to stop.

"I—am—not—worthless!" she screamed in between punches. Her troubled eyes suddenly caught sight of another smile on Naruto's face. It implied so much; it _knew_ too much. It knew what she had been going through, and panic-filled rage splotched her vision with red.

He still smiled, finally happy that he had gotten through to her. She was not so far gone as he had been. Granted, Naruto had been like that for three years, yet nothing short of kindness had gently brought him back to the world of the living. He knew Sakura was different. Sometimes, it took a bulldozer to get through her thick skull, no matter how smart she was.

He could see her, something cracking beneath the surface of her eyes.

And she watched him take her hits with that same smile on his lips. She knew that many of his ribs were cracked by now, and her eyes widened as she saw blood trickling from the corner of Naruto's mouth. The sight seemed to awaken something in her, and that ache came back: the one that hurt when someone close to her hurt.

_Stop…_

The command was soft, but pleaded with her greater conscience. _I can't! I hate hurting him, but I can't stop! I'm so… angry…_

Her fist trembled as she fought the impulse to release all her frustration on her teammate. Anger shook in her fist, but she tried to wrap her mind around it to stop herself from killing her best friend. He had always been there for her, he had always looked out for her, and he had been enough of a true friend to help her like she had tried to help him.

His voice shook with what was no doubt pain. "It's not enough, Sakura. Hit me again."

_No, stop!_ The voice was even more desperate.

"Keep going."

_Stop… Please…_ It was crying.

"Sakura—"

"NO!" she suddenly screamed, her voice coming out in a painful, twisted shout. "Stop! Stop killing me!" Her eyes were squeezed shut, fists clenched but no longer threatening to hit him.

Naruto groaned. His entire body ached; he was positive most of his ribs were broken. His jaw was sore and throbbed, but his eyes were focused on the trembling medic in front of him.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she fell on her knees in front of him and let out another heart wrenching sob. His heart clenched with the weight of what he had done, but Naruto leaned forward, wrapping her in his arms. Her fingers grasped onto him, letting his hands gently caress her back as she cried on his shoulder. He hated this – especially when he was the reason for her tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered continuously as her fists still thumped against him half-heartedly. There was no chakra in her hits, and their rhythm lessened as each minute passed. "I'm sorry."

"No. You were right," she sobbed, shoulders shaking.

"I never… I wasn't implying you were worthless. Don't ever think I think that you're worthless." Naruto pushed her back, catching her gaze with his intense blue eyes. He would not let her believe she was useless.

She sniffled. "I… I know." Agreeing seemed difficult for her, but her gaze was steady. "But you were right about me and… my parents. I…" She lowered her head, fresh tears in her red and puffy eyes. "Thanks, Naruto," she whispered, and a tiny smile tugged the corners of her mouth.

Her gaze burned, and Naruto felt his face heat in a blush. His cheeks flamed even more as Sakura's skilled fingers felt around his abdomen, lifting his shirt and pressing her soft skin against him. Naruto gritted his teeth, hating the jumpy fire that seemed to seep through his veins and boil under his very skin.

Sakura suddenly gasped as her cool chakra spread, and her voice quivered when she spoke. "How much did I hurt you?"

"Sakura, I…" But Naruto couldn't finish speaking even if he had wanted to. His gaze locked with hers, and he had never seen this look in her eyes before. She looked pained at the realization of hurting him so badly. He honestly didn't think it was that bad, but his thoughts were still whirring. He knew Sakura liked him – as a teammate, at least. Even though he wanted to be more than Sakura's friend, he knew it would never come to that.

Yet he could see everything in her eyes: fire, trust, love, worry, embarrassment, and uncertainty. And if she swore their kiss wasn't really anything special, he'd hit her (well, not literally of course). There had been nothing platonic whatsoever about the time they had kissed in the rain. It seemed so long ago, yet only two weeks had passed since that afternoon.

He'd spent all his life around people who hadn't really cared for him, and besides, it was Sakura. She was an anomaly to most people, especially Naruto. Her temper was legendry and her strength ranked second only to the Godaime Hokage. But she was the only person Naruto knew of that had continued to try to help him after Jiraiya had died. And, despite all of his friends from the Rookie Nine, he felt strangely alone, except for when Sakura was near. She made him feel… wanted.

Naruto groaned. _What the hell am I saying? She wouldn't like me… Not in the way I like her, at least…_

_Well—_

"Naruto?"

His gaze flicked up to questioning green eyes. He glanced down, noticing her front teeth biting down on her bottom lip. He gulped. "Yeah?" Naruto hoped he at least sounded relatively casual. He gritted his teeth when he felt her fingertips skim gently over his abdomen, noticing for the first time that his pain had greatly lessened.

"Are you still in pain?"

Well, if "pain" consisted of possibly losing control, then yes. "Um…"

_I wouldn't let you lose control, Twerp,_ Kyuubi admitted grudgingly.

"No, not really."

Sakura nodded. "Naruto, I'm so sorry; so sorry that I hurt you. I don't know why I couldn't stop. It seemed… impossible."

"I know." And he really did know. It had seemed impossible for him to stop hitting someone, to stop blaming someone else for Jiraiya's death, to stop hurting. It was torture living with the knowledge that Jiraiya might have anticipated his death as well. Naruto winced. It had been so easy to blame Tsunade, to tell her that she had sent the perverted sage to his death. Only when Naruto heard her speaking to Kakashi, voice broken and tears streaming down her face did he realize how much blame she thought resided with her.

For a moment, jade eyes narrowed and moistened, and Sakura hurriedly glanced down, a smile on her face. "You really do know… don't you?"

Instead of answering, Naruto shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to breach the subject, but didn't know how much more Sakura could deal with before possibly breaking down. "Um, Sakura… I want to know…" He sighed, running a hand nervously through his hair. "I want to know why you ripped my shirt open that night."

Her gaze faltered, and her smile disappeared. Porcelain skin paled slightly, and her body seemed to hunch in defeat. "I had a dream," she whispered.

When she didn't answer after a few minutes, Naruto prodded, "About?"

Slender fingers skimmed over the grass, and suddenly, troubled jade eyes locked with his gaze. "About you…" Her face screwed up in pain, and she looked back down at the grass. "Dying… It's always you. You always… die. And I closely follow you. Always. It never changes." Sakura's voice was soft, but bitterness crept into her tone toward the end of last words.

Naruto couldn't believe it. "You dream… about me?"

She nodded. "I checked you that morning because I thought you had been wounded; a sword through your stomach."

The jinchuuriki winced, his stomach aching at the thought. "Oh."

The medic suddenly grabbed his shoulders firmly with her hands, her voice taking on an edge of desperation. "You have to understand that I thought it was best! I thought that if I stopped being around you so much the nightmares would stop. And I didn't want you to see how bad my dreams were getting. I thought that if you didn't know, it'd be better than burdening you with more of my weaknesses." Her face seemed to cloud with shame.

Naruto stuttered for a moment, then gently lifted Sakura's chin that she had absentmindedly focused on the ground. "Sakura, you of all people have taught me that I have friends for that exact reason; I tell them the things that I can't manage on my own, and they help me through it."

A gentle smile caressed Sakura's face, and she pushed on Naruto's arm. "Since when did Konoha's biggest idiot get so smart?"

Naruto shrugged. "Well, most of my intelligence did come from the girl with extra brain space, especially with her large forehead and all."

For a moment, it seemed as if Naruto had gone too far. The red on her cheeks told him a punch was coming, and he hurried to explain. But a second later, Sakura had tackled him to the ground, punching him anywhere she could reach (albeit without chakra enhancing her punches). "Bakanaro! Don't insult my forehead!"

"Ow! Ow, ow! Sakura, I was complimenting you!"

Minutes passed and the two still wrestled on the training field, Sakura getting in most of the punches since Naruto refused to hit her. However, by the end of their spar, Naruto couldn't believe how much they were laughing – together.

* * *

"Well? Anything, Kiba?"

The dog ninja shook his head. His hand came down to pat Akamaru's head. "Nothing Shikamaru. Both me and Akamaru can smell the blood, but neither of us know where it's coming from."

"But can't you tell? I mean, it's blood." Shikamaru was getting impatient. It didn't normally take him this long to figure things out. He wasn't blaming it on his team members; he was just extremely frustrated that he was stumped. After all, everyone did call him a genius.

Kiba scratched his head. "Ne, calm down, Shika. We smell blood but it's only a lingering scent. When the wind has spread it so much it's hard to tell exactly which direction it's from." The dog ninja shrugged. "Sorry, man." His black-slit eyes roved the forest, searching, hoping to find something that would help ease the pressure his leader felt.

Shikamaru had been his fellow classmate in the Academy under the tutelage of Iruka before their genin days. Even after they had passed and had been separated into their different teams, they had still gotten together. Now, especially, with most working toward the goal of becoming jounin, the entire Rookie Nine were more insistent on seeing more each other. Maybe it was the fact that all of them were now on missions that were much more dangerous, and none of them knew when they might see each other again.

The jounin rubbed his head. "Sorry, Kiba," he sighed. He turned his troubled black eyes on the third person of the group, the member that Kiba had never quite gotten out of the back of his mind when he had tried to concentrate on the air's scents. "Hinata, can you see anything?"

Though her Byakugan and talents differed greatly from Neji's, she was just as powerful, perhaps even more deadly since most opponents made the grave mistake of underestimating her. Especially considering one of her new jutsu. Well, it wasn't that new, but it left Kiba in awe every time he saw her do it.

Hinata shook her head. "No, Captain Shikamaru."

Shikamaru sighed again. "Hinata, just call me Shikamaru. It makes me feel old for you to call me captain, and I'm the exact same age as you are."

The girl bowed her head, a small blush of embarrassment evident on her cheeks. Her pupil-less eyes gazed into the forest, the veins in her temples protruding from her skin as she concentrated her Byakugan. Kiba kept his nose trained on the scents, and suddenly, he found something.

"Wait…" he murmured, and glanced over at Akarmaru. The white dog gave a dangerous bark and bounded away, Kiba right behind him. Shikamaru and Hinata quickly followed, hoping that they could finally get a break and find something.

Kiba and Akamaru were waiting in a clearing. The dog ninja didn't bother turning around; his acute hearing could catch every sound the other two made. His face was pulled into a grimace, distorting the red triangles on his cheeks. "This isn't good."

Shikamaru groaned. Hinata gasped. Kiba put his hands in his pockets, an uncomfortable knot twisting in his stomach. They had to catch this… this _mutilator_ soon; he wasn't sure if he could stand finding these types of bodies anymore. Because of the smell, he could make out one was a blond woman, probably around her twenties. The other was a man, probably in his late thirties. He pointed at the bloodied corpse that was the only one with long, creamy yellow hair – which had been tainted by blood.

"She's from Amegakure. The moisture is still relatively in her skin, and since the scent's new to me, it isn't that hard to tell." Kiba pointed to the mutilated corpse next to the girl's. "He's from… No…"

Hinata's head snapped around, and her lavender gaze was distressed. "W-What is i-it, K-Kiba-kun?"

The tracker ran a hand nervously through his wild brown hair. The frown was evident on his face, as was the worry in his eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Something's got to happen soon," he said, teeth clenched angrily.

"What? Kiba, what is it?" Shikamaru had never showed emotion in his voice, but Kiba could sense the jounin's urgency.

"This man is from Konoha," he growled viciously.

* * *

Sakura sat cross-legged on the edge of Naruto's bed, feeling extremely tired but thankful. Kaori sat in the space her legs provided as the girl played with a small, glittering piece of fabric. The medic glanced to her right, a new appreciation for her teammate and his insistence on pulling her back to him, on refusing to let her push herself away from him. Sakura almost scoffed. She had been foolish for thinking that pushing Naruto away was better for him – or her for that matter. Having him as a friend, as someone she could count on was better than not having him near at all. She had learned that the hard way.

He seemed to buoy her up somehow. Maybe it was because she knew that he had experienced everything she had and more.

A smile lit her face. He sat against his pillow, legs stretched out in front of him as he pored over one of the class text books. It was comical, really. Naruto studying. Who would've thought?

Blue eyes jerked up when she let out a small laugh. His lips quirked. "What?"

The medic shook her head, a small devious smile on her lips as she turned back to playing with Kaori's hair. "Nothing."

Naruto closed his book and set it down, folding his legs as he leaned toward Sakura. His blue eyes sparkled, knowing that it wasn't just "nothing." "No, tell me." An innocent smile spread across his tanned face, and Sakura's stomach jumped.

A matching smile stretched her lips and raised an eyebrow as she tried to hide the flutters in her stomach. "You really want to know?"

He nodded vigorously, ocean eyes staring at her intensely. She felt her cheeks burn, and hurried to answer. "You're an anomaly."

His blond head cocked to the side, and his eyebrows pushed together in what Sakura could only describe as adorable confusion. No wonder no one _sane_ could resist his charm.

_Oh, you set yourself up for that one,_ her Inner squealed gleefully.

Sakura growled. _I can, too, resist his charms._

_Nope,_ her Inner said with poorly contained happiness, her voice making sure to pronounce the "p" with a distinct pop. _Not recently. You are becoming _in_sane. And don't argue with me! I always win remember?_

_You do not always win!_ Sakura protested.

_Yes, I do,_ her Inner argued back.

_No, you don't._

_Yes, I do._

_No, you don't!_

_Do too!_

_Do not!_

_Do too!_

_Do not! And shut your fat mouth, bitch!_

"Er, Sakura?" A curious voice interrupted her argument.

The medic blinked. "Yes?" she asked innocently, a bit of acid still in her voice from her recent argument. She was all too aware that Naruto probably knew she had been arguing with her Inner, but she decided to play dumb.

_Good to have you back_, her Inner smiled.

Sakura returned the smile. _Thanks._

Before Naruto could say what was on his mind, Sakura continued her thought and shrugged. "It's just an anomaly that Naruto is actually _studying_. It's amazing, really," she smirked.

"Oh, yeah? It's so crazy that I'd study?" A challenging smile touched his face, and Sakura nodded.

"Yup."

"Well, at least I'm not ridiculously smart. I might have ended up like you: socially awkward and fretting about the difference between an outstanding mark and an excellent one…" Naruto put a finger to his chin, eyebrows scrunched as if he were concentrating very hard.

She scowled, green eyes darkening. "Well, at least I'm not ridiculously childish," she started, and suddenly, a brilliant thought entered her head. "I might have never been able to get all those boys to come after me…"

It had the effect she wanted. Naruto's eyes snapped, and his smirk turned into a frown. A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat (no doubt courtesy of Kyuubi), and Sakura turned away, her fingers continuing their mission. She stole careful glances at her teammate, knowing he was talking to Kyuubi and debating how to process her statement.

A wicked smile twitched on her lips, and she gave a heavy sigh. She looked up in a thoughtful way. "Hmm. Too bad many of them still like that teacher." She shrugged and turned to her angry blond teammate. "Guess I'll just have to train with them in my _other_ outfit."

Red flickered in his eyes, and for a moment, she wondered if Naruto would do something in front of Kaori, but he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. When he opened them, there was a slightly dangerous look in the blue depths.

"We're talking later," he growled.

Her stomach jumped again at the double note in his voice. That _look_… She couldn't quite pinpoint what it meant, but it sent shivers like ice tracing up her spine. Naruto had to be taking on some of Kyuubi's personality traits, which (Sakura blushed when she thought of it) wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Naruto was always so careful about not pushing or demanding her to do something, but if he said it like _that_…

Plus, Sakura knew Kyuubi had grown to like Naruto, and had been the one who had changed the most – at least she thought so. From what she'd heard about Kyuubi, he had been a demon with a nasty temper and a craving to destroy things. Now, it seemed as if most of the demon's concentration was focused on his host.

Sakura nodded carefully, licking her lips nervously at the intensity of Naruto's stare. His eyes flickered red again for a moment, then deepened from their original ocean blue. The weight of his stare caused Sakura to quickly look away, her neck heating in a blush that crawled to her cheeks as she hurriedly began to braid Kaori's hair.

_What is wrong with me?_

_You like him remember? You just won't admit it. I know you know what his stare meant. Purposefully teasing him…_ her Inner scoffed.

Sakura blinked. _Are you reprimanding me?_ Her Inner, the one with sassy mouth (well, even more so than she) was reprimanding her?

Her Inner seemed affronted. _Me? Reprimand you for purposefully teasing Naruto? Absolutely not! I'm proud of you!_

_Yeah, yeah_. Sakura rolled her eyes with a small, amused smile on her face. She looked down at the finished braid, wondering how she had gotten done while preoccupied with her… well… inner personality.

Kaori suddenly turned and smiled at Sakura, her tiny fingers feeling the small braid. Her grey eyes quickly light up, and she turned in Sakura's lap. "Kaa-san, how did you and Oto-san get married? How did you meet?"

Naruto, who had gone back to studying, jerked his head up, blue eyes wide. Sakura turned back to the little girl in her lap. The medic's stomach turned, and she suddenly felt guilty for teasing her teammate. A small smile lit Sakura's face.

"Well," she started, green eyes twinkling as Kaori listened to her with rapt attention. "He was an annoying little brat when we were in school," Sakura laughed, and Kaori giggled with her. "He was always asking me to go out with him, but he was so terrible with his jutsu."

The small girl shifted her wide eyes on Naruto. "Oto-san was bad at something?"

Sakura nodded. "Oh yes. He didn't have any chakra control whatsoever."

"Wow," Kaori whispered.

Green eyes darted to Naruto's face. She couldn't quite understand his expression, but she knew she had to say something – sorry, perhaps. "We had someone else on our team, too. He didn't want to stay with us. So he left me and Naruto," Sakura sighed, her voice now coated with sadness.

"He didn't like you, Kaa-san? Or Oto-san?" the girl whispered in disbelief.

"Yes. But, it made us strive to be stronger. For almost three years we worked relentlessly." She chanced a glance at Naruto, and his face was pained, and his eyes were tortured when he looked at her. She could read the expression as if he had said it out loud.

"_Where are you going with this? What do you want from me?"_

Her heart clenched, and she hurried on. "But guess what?"

"What?" Kaori asked excitedly, responding to the higher pitch in Sakura's voice.

"He had grown so much! He was amazing! I watched how much control he had over his chakra and everything else. It was like he was a completely different person, but I could still recognize him underneath."

"Really?"

"Yes. I was so proud of him. We've worked as a team ever since, and he quickly made it to the chuunin position where we are now. We're close to the jounin level, and it's so nice to be assigned the same mission most of the time."

"Is it weird that he's the one that fights and you have to stay back since you are the healer and stuff?"

The medic hesitated a moment. "It grates on your pride," she admitted, "but I couldn't ask for a better teammate or protector than him." Finally, Sakura looked over at her teammate. His eyes were wide and shook slightly, moist as if he were about to cry. She gave an encouraging smile.

"But how'd he propose, Kaa-san? Did he get on one knee?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. See, I had been on a terrible mission, and I refused to talk to anyone. So he dragged me to his apartment and took care of me. He made me ramen, but he didn't make me talk. I was so thankful for that, and I found I was glad he had made sit around in his company at least. So, he carefully took me to his room and let me sleep on his bed. He started to leave, but I called him back. I didn't want him to leave; I was scared, you see."

"You, Kaa-san? Scared?"

"Yes. I didn't want to be, but you know what? He took care of me. He made sure those nasty nightmares wouldn't get anywhere near me. When I was about to fall asleep, he asked me to marry him. It was so sweet, really, with him holding me there. And of course, I said yes." It wasn't a lie. So the last part about him proposing was, but everything else wasn't. It was one of the only memories that kept her hopes alive when she had been assigned to this mission and had decided to take care of Naruto the way he had taken care of her.

However, when she had been falling asleep, she was sure she had heard him murmur, "I'll always keep you safe." It had been in between consciousness and dreams, and it wound inside of her head like a coiled disease, constantly shifting her thoughts back and forth from belief to proclaiming it was all just her sleep-filled imagination. Her eyes were drawn to the window to her left.

"It's dark! Time for bed Kaori."

The small girl pouted, shaking her head back and forth. Her caramel hair shook around her, and Naruto smiled at her cute bottom lip poking out. "Please, no! I want to hear more! I don't want to go to bed!"

Naruto stood. "Come on, Kaori. Kaa-san and I promise that you can hear more of our stories in the morning. But remember that meeting? The one you were so clever enough to find out for us?" At the compliment, Kaori's bright grey eyes glanced at the floor, and her light cheeks tinted in a blush. She nodded, and Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder, the other tilting her chin up. "Well, because you told us about it, Kaa-san and I have to go check it out."

Kaori nodded in acquiescence. "Yes, Oto-san. I suppose it is time to go to bed." She turned around, moving slowly before whirling back to face Naruto. "Did you really mean it? That I was clever enough to tell you about the meeting, Oto-san?"

The blonde hugged the little girl to his chest. "Yes, Kaori. I meant every word."

A bright smile coated her face before she quickly brushed her teeth and hopped into bed. Sakura kissed the girl goodnight, smiling gently as Kaori's eyes drifted closed, indeed and indication that the girl really had been tired. Her gaze flicked over to meet Naruto's, and she saw him beckon to her, his face soft yet firm at the same time. She nodded slowly, her chest constricting.

She wasn't sure why she was nervous about meeting him, but she decided to take her time. Well, as much time as she could without it being obvious she was trying to buy herself more time.

Sakura sighed. _I'm hopeless._

_I agree completely_, her Inner said cheerfully, and Sakura scowled.

* * *

Naruto had never been amazing with children, but if there was one thing that he was more thankful for than ever, it was Kaori. He didn't think he would ever get used to her calling him "father," nor could he get the pleasure out of his system when she called Sakura her mother. Each time was as thrilling as the last, and it made him feel as if he and Sakura were together.

His eyebrows knitted in confusion as his thoughts turned toward his teammate. Her story – why had she made up something like that? Why hadn't she said they weren't married and that he was an ignorant and stupid chuunin that still greatly annoyed her? And she had mentioned Sasuke. It had been torturous, listening to her speak of his betrayal, and he had felt the acute sting of loss and duty – loss in the fact that he simply couldn't seem to bring the bastard back, and duty in the sense that he had promised Sakura he would.

When they had been teasing each other, he hadn't meant for Kyuubi's voice to blend with his, making the command even more powerful, but the way she licked her lips… She had been wearing his grey t-shirt, and there was nothing that he found more possessive and… _erotic_… than Sakura wearing something of his. And the way she blushed! The red heat trickling from the bottom of her neck to her cheeks was simply stunning.

That was only part of it. He had to force himself not to look at her full pink lips when they smirked or when she spoke. When she had talked about the training outfit, he couldn't believe the curls of jealousy that had spiked through his system, almost burning him alive. But he had almost lost control when she had used her fucking _tongue_. It had darted out, wetting her lush bottom lip nervously, and he had imagined what it would be like if that tongue had been on _his_ lips, or if he had coaxed it into _his_ mouth. Or if it had been—

_What?_ Naruto growled when he heard Kyuubi's dark chuckle.

_Nothing, nothing. Just simply funny, that's all._

_What's funny?_ Naruto pressed.

The demon smirked. _Well, if I remember correctly, when I put the image into your head, you called me a pervert and said that you would never think of Sakura that way. And here you are, on your own, thinking about it._

Naruto growled, angry that the damn fox was right. _You're rubbing off too many of your qualities on me. Ugh, go away._ Naruto pretended to shoo the demon away as if he were a pesky disease.

_You mean my loveable qualities? The ones that turn women on?_

_Oh, shut up._

Kyuubi chuckled. _Ah, kid, you amuse me to no end._

_Glad I could be of service_, Naruto grumbled. He slouched against the tree that overlooked the Academy, the one where Sakura had given him his pendant. Tanned fingers pulled on the cord around his neck, and he gazed at the soft silver coating of metal. He really did seem to be gathering a few of Kyuubi's personality traits. However, though he desperately wished it were true, it wasn't Kyuubi that was influencing his thoughts when he would glance at Sakura's tongue darting over her lips or the sway of her hips when she walked.

He groaned. He definitely wasn't twelve, and he definitely wasn't fifteen anymore, and neither was Sakura. He wanted to say that he still thought innocently of him and Sakura being together, but there was always that little tweak in his system that begged and ached for more.

_Ah, really? More than just being yours to date?_ It wasn't said in a scoffing manner; if anything, the question was asked carefully.

Naruto hesitated, pressing his lips together. _Yes_, he finally admitted. _I want her… as mine. Mine and only mine. And I want… I _want_ to _claim_ her. Kyuubi, I could never live with myself if I claimed her without her permission, but I want her to be with me and only me, and I… I _want_ her – so bad_. And it scared him. He didn't like that almost every time he saw her he wanted to push her against a wall or a bed, or even a desk or tree.

The demon smiled painfully. _Kid, you remember when Chisoku told you that you would claim her, that you would take her innocence whether she wanted you to or not?_

The blonde nodded. Of course he remembered – that was why he was so panicked. He didn't want Chisoku to be right and know him so well. It was frightening; he didn't want to be an animal. He had gotten so close to Sakura recently that if something happened now to estrange her from him he wouldn't know what to do with himself.

Kyuubi turned his proud bloody eyes on Naruto's blue ones. _I'm the king of all Bijuu, kid. I know the instincts of animals, especially foxes. I know our possessiveness inside and out; it was what got me in this mess in the first place. But, if you are anything like the kid that I have been trapped inside these eighteen years, you will never give your instincts control._

Naruto stared into the demon's eyes that were now fierce with determination. He didn't know what to say. For Kyuubi to say this about him… It was the biggest compliment he had gotten in all his life.

_Kyuubi, I…_ he tried, but the fox interrupted him.

_I was accused of raping Emiko. My instincts as a Bijuu are even more powerful than those of a summon clan, and exponentially more powerful than the dumb foxes in the forest. My problems were slightly worse than yours… I almost didn't stop the first time, and it still haunts me to this day. That's why… That's why I got so mad at that damn summon fox for insulting you and insulting Sakura._

_How…_ Naruto was almost afraid to ask. _What do you mean you almost didn't stop?_

Kyuubi turned to Naruto, his eyes tortured with pain. He glanced down. _I… She wanted me to make love to her, but she'd never… I was her first, and obviously I'm larger than most humans… Ah, one very good aspect of possessing demon blood… But, I was… just inside of her, and I almost couldn't resist…_

It was strange to hear Kyuubi hesitate and fumble over his words. Knowing the demon, Naruto knew this issue still plagued the fox terribly.

_It was terrible_. The demon's voice shook so badly that Naruto almost thought he was crying. _It was so hard to resist pounding into her, to use her like a sex tool that every other Bijuu I know has done to human women. I wanted…_ Anger fused with Kyuubi's voice, anger directed at himself._ I wanted to dig my nails into her skin until blood covered my hands. I wanted to crush her to me until I could hear her bones break and her cries of pain. I wanted to taste her blood and feel her pulse beat quickly underneath my tongue until I could smell her life ebbing away to join mine – all while I pounded into her, ripping her apart from the inside out and I couldn't believe how much I _wanted_ to hurt her so badly…_

Never once had Naruto ever heard Kyuubi talk like he was now. The pure anguish in his voice was something that Naruto had never thought possible, especially for a demon notorious for his terribly short temper. Though stunned by Kyuubi's tale, he understood. He finally understood the tenant trapped inside of him.

Silence reigned, and Kyuubi shifted, eyes suddenly glowing dangerously.

_Yes, yes, I know!_ he snapped. _I'm a horrible demon, I—_

_No._

It was a breath of whisper, but Kyuubi stopped his tirade, turning back to his host, red eyes wide with disbelief. The two stared at each other, Kyuubi's stunned gaze locked with Naruto's wide, truthful eyes. Naruto stepped closer, and for the first time since he had known the demon, the blonde touched the bars of the cage, suddenly able to feel Kyuubi's turmoil swirling inside of him.

Naruto swallowed. _No, you're not horrible. You're not even a demon compared to what some humans and enemy ninja have done. Nothing like that at all._ There was a thick, tense pause before Naruto asked, _How _did_ you stop?_

Something akin to relief and hope crossed the demon's face. _I loved her. It overrode everything my instincts were telling me to do. I even asked her about it after. I had warned her before, but after, I told her that we couldn't anymore, because next time, I might not be able to stop._ Kyuubi chuckled, and the atmosphere suddenly lightened. _And do you know what she said? She said that I was stupid and idiotic. She'd never doubted me for one minute._

_Sounds like something Sakura would say to me._

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow (or what Naruto thought looked like an eyebrow). _You planning that far ahead?_

A heavy blush tinted Naruto's cheeks. Kyuubi laughed and shrugged. _Just remember: I loved her._

"_Naruto. Naruto!_ Naruto!"

Blue eyes flew open, and Naruto was suddenly back to outside of the Academy, his shoulders being shaken by something extremely strong that possessed a hint of soft pink. Jade green eyes were moist with tears, and they were wide with worry and concern. He only just noticed that her pale hands were shaking; her whole body seemed to be trembling.

"Naruto!" she shouted again.

"Sakura? What's wrong?" Wrong question. Definitely wrong question.

"Baka!" she screamed as a fist clobbered him over the back of his head. "Do you know that I've been trying to get you conscious for the past fifteen minutes? Do you know that you've been sitting here clutching the pendant I gave you as if it would save your life? You even—you even started shaking!"

He blinked. Tears had streaked down her cheeks by now, and all he could think about was that she wasn't very good at hiding what she felt. It had only been a few hours since she had broken down in front of him, and now she was back to her old self, something he had missed. He could never completely go back to how he had acted when he had been younger – too many things had happened that made him grow up. But Sakura needed him, and he would rather her need him than not at all.

Unfortunately, no matter how much he liked the fact that Sakura needed him, she was _crying_. Dealing with crying women was not his forte. "Sakura-chan, I'm… I'm sorry, I—"

His apology was cut off when she bolted forward, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. She sobbed onto his shoulder, holding onto him as if he were the only thing that would keep her alive.

"You idiot," she whispered. "Don't do that to me again. I thought… I thought…"

Naruto sucked in a breath. "Oh… Your dream."

It wasn't a question, and she nodded wordlessly. "I couldn't stand it if you died," she mumbled into his shoulder. He wasn't too sure what she meant by that; Sakura's words tended to have many meanings to them. She pulled back, and Naruto frowned at the loss of contact. He would have held her for as long as she would have wanted, but she brought a hand to her face to wipe the tear stains from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I told you I wouldn't look weak in front of you again…"

"Sakura…" Naruto whispered. "I've never thought you were weak. Never." She bit her lip and nodded, and Naruto fought the urge to capture her lip with his own teeth. His thoughts wandered back to Kyuubi. "Ne, Sakura, would you trust me? With anything?"

A blush rose furiously on her cheeks, but she cocked her head. "Why?"

"I just want to know," he shrugged.

She smiled. "I would. I'd trust you with anything. You'd never hurt me."

"What about on that mission when we found Orochimaru? I gave you those scars, Sakura…" His hand gently caressed the barely-visible scars, but she pushed his hand away.

"That wasn't purposeful. You weren't… in your right mind." She glanced down nervously as if she had offended him.

_Ah… Well… I can explain that…_

_Well, then, please do, Kyuubi. Today seems to be your day for explanations._

Kyuubi sent the blonde a withering look, but Naruto looked at the demon expectantly. The fox heaved a sigh.

_It was an old vendetta against Hachibi… We had battled for one hundred years before he cheated out on me and somehow got away and infecting some ninja, the weird one with the white skin and black hair. Your anger was helping to set me free, and I desperately wanted another stab at that snake bastard. So, I took over you and fought him. I thought Sakura was going to get in the way, so that explains the marks on her arm._

Naruto stared blankly at the demon. _What?_ Kyuubi grumbled.

_You fought him for a hundred years and still hadn't beaten him? I thought you were the most powerful bijuu!_

_Oh, shut up, Twerp,_ the demon growled, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Naruto?" the soft expression of his name brought him back. Her face was quirked in a funny expression, but he hurried to explain. "Ah, Kyuubi was just telling me—"

"That it wasn't you?" She smirked. "Of course it wasn't. I knew that, Naruto. That's why I never blamed you. I never could. None of it had been your fault. It was mine if anything, especially since you still thought you had to keep your promise."

"Sakura, I promised I'd get him back; I can't break that." His chest clenched at the subject of promises, but he pushed it away when Sakura glared down into his eyes, her gaze just as fierce and determined as Kyuubi's had been a little while ago.

"If there is any way that you might get hurt or killed, you need to _promise_ me that you won't try to continue. My dream of you dying does _not_ need to come true."

He gulped and nodded. "I promise."

"Good," she smirked, and shifted to get more comfortable.

If her tears hadn't been so worrying and hadn't taken all of his attention, he would have noticed this long ago. Sakura was sitting on his lap, legs on either side as she straddled him, her center very close to his groin. She moved again, and he bit back a moan, cursing the fact that she really was sitting right where he would—

_Kyuubi! Help me!_

The demon chuckled sadistically. _Nope. That's your vixen to handle, kid._

Naruto looked back into her eyes, the jade darkened to a rough yet bright sort of emerald. He shifted, and Sakura's eyes fluttered for a moment as she bit down on her lip, head tilting back a fraction of an inch. He followed her, slowly ghosting his fingertips up her thighs. A breathless gasp flitted through her lips, and Naruto felt his control slipping. He inhaled her light yet intoxicating scent, brushing his nose along the line of her jaw.

He marveled at the fact that she hadn't pulled away. He gently touched his lips to a point just below her earlobe, and she hissed, hips jerking as the sensation shivered throughout her body. However, he suddenly stiffened when cool fingers sifted up his arms to tangle in his hair, silently pulling him closer.

One kiss wasn't enough. Naruto opened his mouth, carefully pressing a hot kiss in the same place as before. Sakura gasped as her head fell back, her fingers gripping his hair almost painfully. He shifted again underneath her.

"Naruto," she moaned quietly.

He shivered, barely registering the effect it had on him. All he knew was that she wasn't objecting.

"Naruto," she whispered again, her hips grinding against his groin. She gave another gasp as she felt him beneath her, but she attempted to continue. "Naruto… there's… a meeting… we need to go…"

"Yeah… the meeting…" he mumbled, grazing his teeth against her skin and earning another small moan.

"Naruto, the meeting," she pressed, her voice still only managing a breathless whisper. Suddenly, Naruto pulled away, and looked at Sakura with wide eyes. Hers were still half-lidded, but some semblance of her consciousness was pressing her to stop. They were going too fast.

"Right… Right, we need to go to the meeting," Naruto gulped, quickly clearing his throat and helping Sakura to stand. He placed his hand on her back, but quickly removed it, noticing the slight stiffening of her shoulders. He cursed his hormones as well as his instincts.

_It's all your fault, Kyuubi._

_What?_ The demon scoffed. _Not likely. Your fault if you're picking up some of my worthy traits._

Naruto growled, arguing with his tenant until Sakura shook his shoulder, her face flushed and her movements flustered. "We're at the doors," she whispered hoarsely. "Now quiet!"

He nodded mutely, about to place his hand on Sakura's stomach to aid with her chakra when a sentence caught their attention.

"Really, Akane, why did you organize this secret meeting?"

Sakura's expression changed. It was focused, but it turned alarmed as she mouth wordlessly, "Secret?" She turned back when voices continued to complain, and Naruto struggled to listen to every word.

"I have it on good authority that Konohagakure is keeping something from the rest of the ninja world!" Akane said passionately. "Besides all of their jutsu and clan bloodlines, but I think this is even more important. It could possibly even mean a third ninja war!"

"Akane," Daichi interrupted. "While I agree with you that we should have never invited those Konoha ninja into our village, there is no reason for there to be a third ninja war. We were almost wiped out as it was with the first. Besides, there is no way we'd beat Konoha now; they still have one jinchuuriki while none of the other ninja villages have a jinchuuriki."

"That's exactly my point!"

"Akane, where are you going with this?" Seiichi murmured.

"There is no need for a third war, Akane," Hiroyuki said warily.

Akane huffed in frustration. "The war is not my point, Hiroyuki. It is ridiculous that Konoha is still allowed a jinchuuriki, but there is another rumor, one that has just recently been circulating around this village ever since those two chuunin got here! My point is that Konoha lied to us!"

"How do you know they lied?" Seiichi sounded tired but frustrated.

"Because the evidence is indisputable!" she argued.

"Wait, wait, wait." Hiroyuki sighed. "What is this 'rumor' then? I haven't heard it at all, and frankly, I don't think they'd keep something like this from the whole world if it really is that important."

The chuunin could almost imagine Akane crossing her arms over her chest as a smirk quirked her lips. "Wanna bet?"

"So, what is it, then?" Daichi asked, unable to hide the bit of excitement in his voice.

There was a thick, tense pause. Naruto and Sakura held their breath, waiting to hear the rumor that had apparently been circulated about them. Sakura's fist was clenched around Naruto's hand (how that had happened, he had no idea). Akane seemed to drop her hands and take a gripping step forward.

"They say the Yondaime Hokage had a son."

* * *

**A/N:** I finished this by the time I wanted! I can't believe it! and it's going out on the day I promised it'd be updated, too! Oh, this is marvelous! I am in complete heaven now that this chapter is done!

Ahem. Excuse me. Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter. I had fun writing it – especially the end ;). This chapter did have a lot going on, and I hope Kyuubi didn't seem to out of character for how I've been portraying him. I didn't think so; I mean, he had to break sometime, but he would never break completely, either, so I hope I did all right on that! Let me know what you guys think.

- wolf's paradise


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Oh my goodness, guys, I am sooooo sorry! This chapter was utter hell for me to write and I'm not even sure why. I think just because it's another one of those "in between" ones where not too much happens. Plus, I'm on break for summer and my drive for writing totally seemed to plummet. However, I believe it will pick up once I go back for summer school.

Again, I am soooo sorry that this chapter wasn't out sooner! I've been watching Witchblade and the first part of Naruto, so I've been a bit distracted lol. But I will admit that I'm disappointed in the way Naruto is going. I really don't like it anymore.

Either way, this chapter was difficult to write. I don't like it. Hope it's at least still okay.

**Edit:** As of 1/15/2013 the argument part of this chapter has been revised. I've never liked that part, and a review finally kicked me in the butt to fix it and make it better. So thanks imsabbel for a nice kick in the pants. Hope this is better.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

It was a nice night. The breeze was cool, and rain hadn't fallen for at least two days. The night was starry, and though clouds lingered in the distance, they would stay away for at least a few more hours. A wicked grin uncovered white teeth that shone in the dark. Perfect timing, perfect conditions.

Nobody was around. Well, if you counted those erratic pulses of chakra "nobody" than there wasn't another soul for at least another ten or so miles. Not that it mattered that much. The light breeze tickled his exposed skin, and he could feel the excitement in his blood.

Boss was getting much too bossy recently. She had greatly inhibited the one reason why she had employed him. And as her usual uncaring self she had no idea what affect this had on him. His blood was pounding, pulsing with eagerness at the glimmers of life just beyond the thicket in which he stood. It pleasured him to no end, and she expected him to stop?

He wasn't known as a missing nin for nothing. His skill at hunting down a target and killing them quite painfully was the reason elites hunted him. Yes, well, she would see her mistake. He would get things moving, close the windows and doors on his target. She felt too safe right now; it had been at least a week since she had "fought" him, and he couldn't let her feel safe.

True, feeling safe did have some good points, but it was detrimental in most ways. Without a sense of security, most civilians and the inexperienced ninja became hurried, and were prone to make mistakes – mistakes that would always label his mission and hunt a success. He didn't really care what Boss said. He was the mastermind behind capturing this medical ninja, and he would do it.

Ah! How sweet it would be to finally capture her! He could see her fury through the dead ninja's eyes – eyes that had allowed him to see her fully for the first time. He could imagine her smell, and how her body would react to him. It made him shiver with excitement just to think about it.

Noise in front of him interrupted his thoughts, and he turned his attention to the nobodies he had felt before. He knew the jounin didn't sense him; he was too good for that. No, the jounin was blissfully unaware of his presence, but he soon would be – if at all a slight tremor of acknowledgement before his life was pleasantly snuffed out.

He crouched behind the bush, watching the jounin and three genin sit around a fire, talking about nothing in particular. He scoffed silently. Their idle chatter was so trivial. Did they really think they would always survive until the next day? Well, he would prove them wrong.

In a second, his chakra was lined up perfectly. In another, he felt the excitement hum in his blood, the perfect mixture between a twisted sort of ecstasy and the wonderful smell… the simply _beautiful_ color of _blood_. Everyone surely had to be blind if they couldn't feel the same thrill he did at the thought of sweet and blissful pain, and the brilliantly _alive_ redness that would scatter the ground and his clothes in a lovely, sticky sort of liquid. This was the reason his boss had chosen him, and now, it was his time.

He flashed behind the jounin, hand zipping out with a water blade and effectively removing the head from the body. One millisecond of surprise was all he had needed. The look forever branded on that pitiful, shocked face was simply priceless. No warning, no nothing. The jounin hadn't even known. Ah, and the blood! It was breathtaking.

Unfortunately, it seemed the kids knew about him. No matter. They weren't a threat. Their chakra was erratic and spatial at best; definitely not enough to take down a missing nin. He could tell their ranks just by looking at the shocked way they were standing. The female was in the front – a strange occurrence but not completely unheard of. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth set; she was obviously trying to look menacing. Laughable, really. Quite laughable. The first boy was just slightly behind her and off to her right, a similar expression on his face. The second boy was on her left, behind both of them, his eyes wide and his hands shaking.

Ah, fear was such a funny thing. He had once been afraid of his father. After all, the man had beaten him and his mother. Then he discovered his gift of chakra, and that his father couldn't hurt him anymore. With a swift strike life was ended, his father the first man he killed. His mother turned out to be just the same, and like before blood spattered the walls.

Fear really was a funny thing. He had never liked the feeling, so he had made others feel it for him. He had made others fear _him_. And when fear was on that side of the spectrum, it was simple, even beautiful to see. Besides, others should fear him. His ability prevented anyone from getting past his defenses.

"Who are you and what do you want?" a high, ringing voice cried.

He slowly turned his eyes on them, and all three gasped when they felt the weight of his gaze. "Oh? Konoha genin. Perfect."

"What do you want with us?" Her voice was shaky this time.

A shrug. "No escape routes. And you four are just what I need to seal up the path. Don't worry. I'll try to make it painless," he smiled.

Suddenly all three darted in on him, but he threw up his chakra, moving away faster than one would blink. Che, genin. They thought they were the seven wonders of the world and were invincible. In a swift strike through the air, water weighted them down, forcing them back to earth. He moved closer.

"Foolish. Did you really think you'd live? Did you really think you had a chance after I killed your sensei?"

"Better than going down without a fight," the first boy muttered, his voice raspy and brown hair sticking out everywhere. His green eyes were hard as emeralds, but to Samanji, it didn't matter. They would be dead soon.

"Say goodnight. Oh, and… don't take it personally." Samanji smiled, his eyes glazed with wicked intent as he moved closer, watching the first one's blood spill in a delicious blanket of red velvet. His scream was music to Samanji's ears, excitement filling his veins until he felt as if he'd quiver out of his skin.

Ah… Watching blood coat the earth was beautiful. Blood was beautiful.

* * *

It seemed as if the entire mission had been just that: one step forward and two steps back. She and Naruto would take a step closer to getting to know each other better. But right when they did make progress, something else came up that pushed them back another two steps. It wasn't that she was mad at all the situations – just frustrated.

The three of them – Naruto, Kakashi, and she – were out in one of the training fields. She leaned against a tree, watching as Naruto continued to shout at a calm-faced Kakashi. Sakura had been able to convince Naruto to hold off his questions until the morning, but she hadn't been able to keep him away from their sensei any longer than dawn. It had been three hours since then.

Still, she could understand. In one night Naruto had discovered that his father was the revered Yondaime Hokage of Konoha. It was like the time that she had been told her parents had been killed. She had seen them just the day before, and life was thrown upside-down with the new news. Naruto had to be going crazy, especially if his father really was the Fourth.

_You know it's true,_ her Inner mumbled quietly.

_I know._ And she did. There was no doubt how closely Naruto resembled the Yondaime. If it weren't for his shorter hair and whiskers, Naruto would be his exact clone.

_We always knew he looked somewhat familiar._

Sakura nodded. When he had gotten older, it had tickled something in the back of her conscious, like a whisper of an itch that couldn't quite be scratched. Now, of course, everything made sense. Kakashi hadn't confirmed anything yet, but Sakura's mind suddenly whirred, blinking at the information flooding her brain that she hadn't used since the academy – six years ago.

"Sensei?" she asked quietly.

Both Naruto and Kakashi were so surprised to hear her speak that they both turned toward her. She shifted against the tree, her eyes half lidded as her lips quirked. The jounin's eye twitched, and she knew that he knew she knew something that he didn't want revealed.

"Weren't you the Yondaime's student? I mean, besides the other two, that is. You guys fought in the Third Ninja War. Right?"

Naruto blinked, utterly astounded at the information that registered in his mind. He looked at Kakashi, and Sakura knew the look on his face. It was a look he had given her once – as if he was in excruciating pain and she was the cause. And it had been worse because it was internal injury, not a physical one.

"Kakashi-sensei?" he whispered.

Almost at once, Sakura regretted her utterance. Both men looked positively miserable, but it was Naruto's face that made her chest ache. The blonde looked down at the ground, his hands clenching into fists.

"You knew the Yondaime. You knew my father, but never told me about him?"

Kakashi scratched his head, heaving a long sigh. "Hai, Naruto." In this moment, Sakura wished that Kakashi wasn't always so frank.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. "That's why… That's why you gave me his papers on Haraishin. It was his. My father's." He turned his troubled gaze on Sakura. "Did you know?"

She shook her head, making sure to keep eye contact. She wanted him to see that she was telling the truth. "No. When you came back from training with Jiraiya, I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint it so I forgot about it. It wasn't until I heard Akane say it that I really thought it was… you know, true."

"Sensei… You _knew_ him," Naruto whispered. Sakura glanced at Kakashi as Naruto stomped off the training field, no doubt heading toward the room. She stood, gently touching Kakashi's shoulder.

"I'll talk to him, Sensei," she said. "Don't worry. It wasn't your fault." She gave her teacher a small, lingering smile as she turned toward the Academy.

"Sakura."

Green eyes searched the dark one, and the jounin shoved his hands into his pockets. "If it helps, tell him that Minato ordered me not to reveal the truth unless absolutely necessary. Or if I thought he was ready."

She blinked. "Why didn't you tell him, then? You know he's ready."

Kakashi shrugged. "A matter of opinion."

Delicate hands rested on curved hips. "Kakashi-sensei. You know that's not an answer."

Again, the jounin shrugged. "He had gone downhill since Jiraiya. Since coming here I've noticed a change. But he's also trying to deal with Chisoku and he's worried about what Takai wants with you. I didn't think he needed something else to worry about."

Sakura could only stare as the jounin walked away a few steps before teleporting away. She heaved a sigh and trudged back to the room, walking in as Naruto was pacing back and forth. Good thing she had asked Kaori to play with her friends outside on the playground for today.

_Everything really is turned upside-down_, she realized. Since being assigned to this mission, it was the first that hadn't garnered her absolute attention. She had always been sure to focus, to do everything correctly so that Naruto would think her strong – different than when they had been genin.

So far, this mission had been nothing but lost focus and startling realizations. It wasn't supposed to be that way. Missions required one's utmost attention, and neither she nor Naruto were truly concentrating on the mission.

Throughout the time in Amegakure, she had learned chakra affinity, met the Kyuubi no Yoko, learned that the organization Takai was after her, lost her parents and Masuyo and Takara, and had somehow gathered the attention of one Kazukiro Naito. Within a few days of coming to Amegakure, something had seemed to happen between her and Naruto, and she no longer focused on the mission.

Her focus had shifted, revolving around one blond-haired boy that was the host for an extremely powerful demon.

It seemed as if everything had taken second seat. She realized that she had forgotten the mission quite a few times. A blush crept up her cheeks as she remembered just how many times the mission hadn't even crossed her mind in only three days.

Green eyes moved to the pacing ninja, and her skin tingled. Every nerve, muscle, and thought was tuned to the way he moved, the way he looked at her, the way he touched her. Her mind was no longer interested in the mission; it had taken back seat to everything else that had been in front of her mind.

Maybe it was the lack of things simply _happening_ that was boring her. On most of their missions together, she and Naruto were able to piece together the mysteries, capture the ninja, and be on their way back home within a month. This mission seemed to be a mind game – and a long one. Nothing seemed to be getting done. She and Naruto were figuring things out about Takai, but it was through others, not to mention the fact that they were learning things about each other that they had never known before. Such as claws and fangs. She had had no idea that Naruto had used them on a few of their missions. And now with the fact (because whether Kakashi liked it or not he _had_ given away the truth) that Naruto was the Yondaime's son.

Besides those facts, Takai had hardly made a move since her parents had died. It had been almost a month – a long time to be silent, even for the patient Akatsuki. That had been their downfall. One wrong move. A kidnap conducted too quickly. But Takai was silent. The teachers weren't holding any more meetings so far as she could tell. In a way she was grateful. On the other side, Sakura wondered if that really was a good or bad thing.

She blinked, her eyes refocusing on Naruto as a large sigh left her lungs. She sat lightly on the bed, watching her teammate as he continued to pace the room. He was mumbling something about Kakashi's horrible nature, and Sakura wished again that she hadn't said anything about the jounin being the Yondaime's student.

"You don't mean that, Naruto," she whispered when she heard him say something particularly vile. He couldn't mean it… not really.

"I do," Naruto argued, turning to her and making her redirect her thoughts again. "I can't believe he didn't tell me about my father. Sensei _knew_ him."

"Kakashi told me that he didn't think you needed something else to worry about," she said softly.

"I don't care!" He stared out the window, and Sakura could feel his anger sifting through the air.

"You know he didn't tell you because he didn't think you could handle it." She kept her head down and voice low, hoping it would calm Naruto's furious temper. But the more she felt his anger, the more her own grew.

"But why couldn't he have told me? Didn't he think that it was important to tell me something like _this_?" he almost shouted. A soft _plunk_ reached her ears, and Sakura was surprised that she could hear it. She traced the blood's trail to his hands and the elongated nails. Anyone, not just her, would be able to sense his anger, but it was just him. He was drawing on Kyuubi's chakra; the demon didn't have anything to do with it – she was sure.

"The Yondaime told him not to, Naruto," she whispered, yet somehow he heard her.

"So you're taking his side, then?" he yelled.

"No! Naruto, there are no sides. I'm trying to help you understand where Kakashi-sensei is coming from!"

"So you are taking his side!"

"Bakanaro! Kaka-sensei cares about you! He knew you were having a tough time after Jiraiya died, and now here in Amegakure with Takai." She was trying to explain, but his lack of comprehension through his thick skull was making her anger almost impossible to control.

"No! I don't want him hear anymore. I won't talk to him, I won't see him, I won't even be on his team if he's going to continue keeping secrets."

"Naruto!" she gasped. "You… You don't mean that! You can't! I mean… Kakashi's trying to understand—"

"He doesn't understand! Not about Jiraiya…" His eyes clouded.

But Sakura saw none of it. She only felt anger. Kakashi didn't understand? How could he not?

"You don't fully understand either, do you, Sakura," Naruto mumbled. It wasn't a question, and it made her blood simmer with rage.

How was he able to lecture her about understanding, and helping to get through things when he was the one that really needed the lecturing? And somehow, he was able to make her feel exactly what she had been trying to overcome. Those words made everything come back, and she was in her nightmare again.

"No," she growled, her eyes glinting. "Of course Kakashi doesn't understand. He only had to obey orders while his own sensei entered a suicide mission and died. He only had to watch his teammates die."

Naruto started, opening his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.

"And of course, I don't understand, either! I only had to watch my team fall apart. I only had to see you fight Orochimaru before that _snake_ branded Sasuke with the heaven seal. I only had to face those three sound ninja alone to protect the both of you even though I had no idea what to do!"

She winced. Even today, she could still feel that bastard's fist pounding against her head as she desperately held on with her teeth. Tears prickled at her eyes as her memory took her further. "I only had to watch you and Sasuke struggle for power and growth until he finally decided to defect. I only had to feel so weak and _useless_ because you guys were always so strong. I had to watch you tear yourself apart over Sasuke until Kyuubi took over you when you fought Orochimaru."

His eyes automatically sifted to her arm, but she didn't pay attention. Her hands were clenched into fists, and she suddenly realized what Naruto was doing, why she felt so angry. And it wasn't even that she was angry. Down to her very core, she had always been afraid that something like this would happen again, and she was almost beyond coherent thought. She was so _afraid_.

"Well, now you're trying to break up our team, Naruto!" She wouldn't be able to stand it. Not again. Not this time. "And I won't let you! I won't let you tear us up again! Hasn't this team been through enough? If anyone has a reason to complain, it's Kakashi! It's a wonder he doesn't hate you, because the Yondaime Hokage sacrificed himself to imprison the Kyuubi inside of _you_!" she screamed, her breath coming in short gasps. Suddenly, her eyes widened. She registered the stunned silence and shock on her teammate's face, and trembled.

Nothing else would come out of her mouth – not even an apology – and she knew she'd gone too far. She'd just gotten so angry and it spiraled out of control… So she fled out of the room, hurrying down the stairs and outside to sit at the base of the tree that overlooked the Academy. She hugged her arms over her waist.

_I'm such a coward for running. I know he'll hate me now. I shouldn't have said that… God, I was so wrong._

* * *

He stared. It was all he could do before he slumped to the floor. It had never crossed his mind what might have happened to Kakashi's teammates. Naruto had never thought about it, either.

The Yondaime, his father, had always been famous for saving the village from Kyuubi's wrath – Naruto had known that for a while now. He knew that Kyuubi was a part of him, sealed at birth. Sakura had said that Kakashi had been the Yondaime's student.

Nothing had made sense until Sakura had shouted it to him, her eyes pained and voice tortured. He just had never quite thought of Kakashi's team. He'd heard a few stories, barely put together lines until he had a vague picture. But what he had heard was enough. Kakashi had been the death of his teammates, and had to live through it.

_He never told us. He never told us any of that. If he had perhaps it would have prevented so much. Not only with Sasuke but about why everyone hated me._

_Can you blame him?_

_What?_

_Would you want to tell your team of your shameful mistakes? Or would you rather live with them yourself?_

Naruto sucked in a breath, then let it out in a huff. _He still could have told me. I deserved to know. I was ready to know._

_Were you? Or was his decision to wait for the best? You did, after all, distance yourself when your mentor died._

_I at least should have known. A long, long time ago. That I did deserve._

_Perhaps you did._

_You don't think so?_

_I do. I just don't think it beneficial to dwell on what should and should not have happened. It cannot be changed._

_Really? Cause you've dwelt on the past a lot, you damn fox._

Kyuubi shifted in his mind. _And I have only now just learned that lesson._

The blonde inhaled again, grabbing at his hair as he started to pace. _And Sakura. Why hadn't she told us anything about being unconscious? I was so focused on beating that guy I didn't know. She should've told me. I would have listened._

_She might not have wanted you two to worry, even if she did want you guys to know that she had gotten stronger._

Naruto looked up, his eyes frantically searching the dark red ones regarding him. _But why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she tell anyone these things? Why?_ He blinked when he felt the demon lick its chops.

_Because you're being selfish._

… _What?_

_Don't you remember?_

An image of Sakura flashed through Naruto's mind. She was in the hospital, furious at him for something else he had done, but the words had hit him harder than stone. _"Are you afraid to entrust people with yourself? Are you so afraid and _selfish_ that you shut yourself off from _everything_?!"_

_But…_

Kyuubi shrugged. _Well, what else have you been doing? I mean, yes, you helped Sakura through the death of her parents, but what have you been doing most of the time? After Jiraiya's death what did you do? After you found out about your father, what did you do?_ The demon's dark stare bored into Naruto's. _You pushed her away._

_I… But I just didn't want— _Naruto started, but he knew he couldn't deny it.

The fox turned, head near his paws, his sharp claws glinting in the minimal light. White flashed as his lips broke over rows of piercing teeth. _Not usually in so many flustered words. Most of the time it was no words at all._

_But… I…_

_After your mentor died, you didn't say a word. You didn't talk to anyone. You shut them out._

_I was protecting myself!_

_Perhaps. But did you also think that shutting yourself off from your friends was not also selfish? That shutting them out was hurting them? Some people's lives have been as equally hard as yours._

_What, like yours?_ Naruto scoffed.

_You've never been immortal, Twerp. You've never been forced to watch the woman you love be killed by her own brother when she was carrying your child. You don't know what it's like to live with that, kid. As for Sakura? Yes, you were able to do something to try to stop Sasuke from leaving, but that's the point. You did _something_. She did _nothing_. And that's another burden that you don't really know how to bear._

Naruto sat down heavily as the Kyuubi continued.

_All your life you've done something. Been able to do something. She didn't even know what she was good at until Tsunade came around. She's only just learning to be determined, and to know that she can be and make something of it. And it makes it even harder on her if she fails at something. True, she should never have said that last line to you, but she's not perfect, is she? And neither are you._

_I really hate it when you're right,_ Naruto grumbled. He felt the demon chuckle, and he heaved a sigh. _I guess I'm just… I'm so mad that Kakashi _himself_ didn't tell me. I had to find out from Akane of all people. He couldn't just tell me._

_Kid, I don't know how that guy thinks. He didn't tell you for a reason – whatever those reasons are. He should have, but that is neither here nor there. You know now._

_I do, but…_

_Then do something with it. You have your father's Hiraishin._

His fingers pulled at his blond hair. He had endured a lot, more than many had who were twice his age, yet in his realization that he could overcome those that opposed him, he had simply lost sight of that understanding of what others around him had been going through.

Deep down, he knew it was true. And the memories flowed back – slowly at first, then pounding through him with reckless intensity. He remembered Haku, and how he had been able to relate to the ninja who called himself a "tool." He remembered the chuunin exams and the first test where he had given other students the reassurance to stay. He remembered the second test in the forest, where he stood up to Orochimaru. He remembered facing Kiba after the Forest of Death, telling him that he would be Hokage. He remembered Neji and the third test, the one that tested his knowledge and skill to the fullest, and how he had helped Neji to find a better path, to trust in the humanity of his clan once again. On and on and on the memories filled his mind of all the times that he had helped people to better themselves.

And this time, throughout this entire mission, Sakura had been the one to help him, to save him from the path that surely would have resembled that of Sasuke's. His chest ached when he thought of what pain it would cause Sakura, to lose two teammates instead of just one.

_Kyuubi… I don't want to apologize completely, because she shouldn't have said that, but I don't want to push her away again. I don't know what to do._

_Listen, Twerp,_ the demon sighed. _I can't tell you how to fix this any more than I can break out of this seal the Yondaime performed. This is something that you need to figure out yourself, for you and for everyone else. But, I can say that Sakura probably expects you to never speak to her again. I don't know if she will admit her wrong, but is there any harm in trying?_

Naruto shook his head. _If you never ask, the answer will always be no._ He stood up, walking purposefully towards the wall opposite of Kyuubi's bars. As he hit the wall, the picture faded and hew as back outside of his mind with one purpose – to find Sakura.

He literally bumped into her as he rounded the large oak overlooking the Academy. Her arms were around her waist, and her head was down, but she glanced up in shock when she hit him. A sandaled foot caught on a root, and she fumbled back until she slumped onto the grass.

The ninja studied her eyes, and he was convinced they were dry, yet as the light changed it illuminated the dry tracks running down her cheeks.

"I was coming to find you," she blurted. She quickly snapped her mouth shut and averted her eyes. "I just…didn't get very far."

"Sakura…"

"I'm so sorry." She cringed, waiting. But when nothing came out of his mouth, she turned her gaze to him, voice harsh and accusing. "Well, go on and say it! You hate me! I shouldn't have said that…"

A small smile quirked his lips, and he pushed his hands into his pockets. "No, you shouldn't have."

She sniffled and clenched her fists, but he saw her nails biting into her palm and knew she was upset at herself. "I really am sorry."

"I know. It's all right. You were right about some things, though."

Her watery eyes quickly caught his. "You… You forgive me?"

"We fought once before, didn't we? And we got past it. Can't we do that again?"

Her eyes closed, and a tiny smile parted her lips. "Idiot," she whispered, slowly opening her eyes and staring at her teammate. He shrugged, but the smile on his face grew, and she couldn't help the smile on her face, either. She lunged forward, enveloping her teammate in a hug and clutching him to her.

"I'm so sorry. It's not your fault the Kyuubi is sealed in you. I just –"

"Sakura, it's okay. Honest."

"Okay," she said, nodding.

Naruto moved to sit by her, and she scooted over to make room. Once he sat down, she rested her head on his shoulder and threw her arm over his torso. She heaved a sigh. He glanced over, worried a bit, but her eyes simply gazed over the Academy.

"Hey, Naruto?" she began.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't it strange how it doesn't feel like we're on a mission? I mean, I don't know but I feel as if we aren't on one. I feel like… like this is how everything should have been for the past three years, and it's easy to forget that we actually have a purpose here." Green eyes searched his. "Do you feel like that?"

He broke contact, but his mind was still churning. Suddenly, he gave a wry laugh. "Yeah… But, some things would've been better."

"What?"

A slight intake of breath, and he knew she was staring at him. But he didn't want to look. He knew that she could see him better than almost anyone else. He didn't want her to see the pain in his eyes at what he had done, and what he was finally realizing he had done for the past three years.

"Damn it," she muttered, so low he almost didn't hear. Then, he felt a soft palm on his cheek, the hand gentle yet firm as it pulled his head to face the paler one. "Look at me. Naruto, look at me," and her voice shook. The moment his eyes met hers, he saw them narrow, and the hand on his cheek trembled. He opened his mouth to talk, but the way she turned her head without moving away caused him to stop. "Don't… Don't tell me this is about your promise."

Not quite, but then again there was the promise he needed to fulfill.

_You don't know that._

_Why not?_

Kyuubi stared. _Hasn't she told you enough that she doesn't want you beating yourself up to find this guy?_

_Well, yes, but…_ He blinked.

_It's not entirely for her, is it? Finding him would mean getting answers._

_Yeah…_

"Sakura," he started, not daring to look her in the eye even though he was facing her. "I have been…selfish. Er, a bit."

Her hand dropped from his face to curl into a fist. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was getting angry and I just shouted and I'm so so sorry," she whispered, the words coming over and over again like a mantra. She saw the pain in Naruto's eyes, and everything paled in comparison.

"No! Sakura, look at me. Look at me," he said earnestly, gently coaxing her to look at him. "_Stop_ blaming yourself."

"Then why won't you give up your promise?" she cried. "I don't want another one of my teammates getting hurt, and the promise is hurting you! You don't think I can see it, Naruto, but I can – when it's mentioned."

A wry smile touched his mouth. "Sakura-chan." He heard her intake of breath at the old nickname, but continued. "It hurts me because after all this time I _still_ haven't fulfilled my promise to you, and I've _always_ tried desperately to keep my promises. But I realize now that it's not just about a promise. I need answers for myself, too."

"Answers?"

He nodded. "When… When we fought in that valley, and when we saw him again at Orochimaru's hideout, I could understand his desire for more power – to a point at least. But I also want to know why he chose that path instead of letting us help him."

"Oh."

"Still, Sakura… I always said that I wouldn't hurt you, and for the past three years that's exactly what I've been doing." He looked up carefully, his eyes questioning hers. Small tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, and she shoved them away before sniffling and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Naruto, you idiot," she whispered, but the relief in her voice negated the words that left her mouth. He could feel the smile on her face. "Just promise you won't stop talking to me like you did before. You don't know how worried I was."

His arms held her tighter to his chest as he heard the pain in her voice when she had spoken. How could he have hurt her so much? "I promise, Sakura-chan," he said fiercely, feeling another presence and its smirk.

_I was right._

_Yeah, yeah, shut up, Kyuubi._ But the blonde couldn't help but smile at his tenant. The demon had been right after all.

Sakura pulled back, and he blinked at the loss of contact. She smiled slightly, but look on her face was unreadable. "So? What will you do? Are you going to accept the fact that you are _the_ Yondaime's son and learn _your_ family jutsu?"

His gaze traveled to the ground, and he thought a moment. "Yeah. I'm going to learn _my father's_ jutsu."

A large smile spread across her face. "Come on!" She stood, one hand gripping his wrist and trying to pull him up with her. She used her other hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, and they were shining again – how he remembered them. "We need to celebrate! We haven't been to Onigiri Genki in a while and we need to celebrate!"

"Sa-Sakura-chan, hold on! I can't—" He grunted as he face planted the ground, trying to get up as Sakura continued to pull. "Oi! I'm trying to get up!" When he finally stood, Sakura was jogging down the road, looking over her shoulder mischievously as an equally wicked smile lit Naruto's face.

"I'll catch you!" he yelled, and raced after her.

* * *

He really didn't think they had such control over him, but apparently they did. His mind was definitely more powerful than he had given it credit about an hour ago, but it wasn't his normal memories. These were memories that brought happiness, a good remembrance to times that were much simpler than they were today.

Now that the darkness was gone from his mind, as was his ambition, what else was there? He had been so bent on getting revenge on his brother, killing that horrible excuse for a human being for the murder of everything he had held dear. And yet, everything had been different. He hadn't expected his brother's master plan, and how it had hurt him to be separate from the brother that had looked up to him in so many ways.

One thing was for certain – he needed to fight. He needed to see how things had changed, how his team had changed. He was surprised the last time he had seen them; Kakashi hadn't been the leader, and a new person, resembling his physical appearance had become part of the team. But he doubted they were permanent replacements. There would never be another Team 7, at least (in the deepest part of his mind that he never really acknowledged) he hoped not.

It really was strange how he missed his team. With the absence of revenge, his mind was taking over again, replaying over and over how he really did have a home in that horrible village. True, he would never live at the Uchiha compound again, but he could make a new home, and although he had constantly denied it, he knew that his team was his home as well. He had pushed them away so many times, claiming they held him back, when it was really the other way around.

Sasuke sighed. There was no point in thinking. A fight with Naruto would come again, and soon. He knew the idiot was in Amegakure; he had instructed Akane to spy on his teammates. He wanted to know if going back was going to be worth it.

Speaking of which, there was one other thing he had to do. Well, it more an opinion and partial lack of action because he really didn't owe it to anyone to _do_ anything. But he could give a warning. He hadn't heard much of Takai, but he knew that they might be going after the Tailed Beasts. After all, didn't all power organizations, especially Akatsuki, seek the Bijuu?

He sighed again, gazing over the country. Amegakure really was a nice village, and ever since Pein had been defeated, it didn't rain quite so much. Of course, it still rained four days in a week, but it was better than before. He wondered if Naruto and Sakura were the only ninja Konoha sent to Amegakure, and from his information, they were. But since when had Konoha sent only two-man platoons on any one mission?

He stood, feeling the clouds gather overhead. Something was coming, and it wasn't just a storm. Something dark lingered in the air to the west, and his eyes narrowed infinitesimally. A breeze flittered through, and his fingers twitched. Something definitely wasn't right.

A step to the side, and he was racing through the trees, away from the ominous thunderheads.

The wind smelled of death.

* * *

Of course they couldn't celebrate without Kaori, so Sakura had gathered her from the playground. The girl was just as excited about celebrating as Sakura was, and Naruto walked behind them, smiling softly at their playful chatter. Sakura glanced back, motioning to her teammate to keep up.

"Hurry up, Otou-san!" Kaori shouted over her shoulder, copying the older girl holding her hand.

A playful smirk quirked Sakura's lips. "Hai… _Otou-san_. You're an old man now, eh?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What? Old?" A wicked smile lit his face as the thought popped into his head. He said it without thinking. "That means you're ancient, Sakura-chan." And, just like the old times, he suddenly felt that old hitch when he saw her teeth clamp together and her eyes grow wild with green fury. It really was amazing how quickly everything could change. They were upset with each other one minute, and the next, she had put it behind her to keep them together.

"U-zu-ma-ki Naruto," she growled, her eye twitching. "I am _not_ ancient."

"Of course not, Kaa-san!" Kaori exclaimed. "You're perfect! I want to be just like you when I'm older – strong and everything!" Her grey eyes were wide with truth, but Naruto groaned. The last thing anyone needed was another Sakura. Moegi was studying under Sakura as a medical assistant, and the younger ninja was already taking on a few of Sakura's more temperamental traits.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her teammate. "See, Naruto? She wants to be just like me."

"The world will end," he mumbled, but quickly denied saying anything when Sakura tightened her fist.

The village wasn't too busy that afternoon; there were still a few venders selling food to various locals, and it was good to hear a pleasant amount of chatter echoing from inside Onigiri Genki.

"I think everyone's on lunch break," Kaori said seriously.

Within minutes they had been seated and their orders had been taken. Kaori sat in between Naruto and Sakura, almost bouncing in her seat from excitement as they waited for their orders.

"Kaori, silly, calm down!" Sakura laughed.

"I can't! I'm just excited we get to go out again! I mean, you and Otou-san have been weird around each other for a while, and I'm happy that you guys seem better, and that we're having fun again – as a family, ne?" she said, her face alight with happiness. When neither ninja answered, she turned to the window, staring out of it at the people continuing to pass.

Naruto blinked, his voice so low that Sakura had a hard time hearing. "She knew?"

The medic shrugged. "I suppose. I feel bad… worrying her like that."

"Yeah…" His gaze bored into Sakura's. "Makes me wonder what else she knows." A quick flash of realization lighted her eyes before a light blush painted her cheeks.

His eyes were wide as he realized what was crossing Sakura's mind. There was the time when she had ran her hands over his chest, when he had kissed her by the oak outside of the Academy… Tan cheeks flushed, and a quick glance at his teammate confirmed his hopes that she hadn't seen his train of thought.

But something wasn't quite right. The tension in the air was almost culpable, and he could see the slight way her hands trembled as Kaori sat in her lap and the way she would quickly look at him and look away.

"Kaa-san! Otou-san!"

He quickly turned his attention back to the present, surprised at the sudden appearance of a waitress holding a tray of food for them. Her eyes lingered on him.

"Do you need anything else?" The smile on her face destroyed any doubt he might have had. There was no way her question didn't have a double meaning. She seemed to straighten quickly, and for the first time, Naruto noticed how tight her shirt was. It hugged her figure and was open at the top – plenty of room for cleavage. They definitely weren't as big as baa-chan's, but they could be considered close. Why she thought he was interested in her was beyond him, but maybe the waitress's attraction to him was because he was foreign…

_Ch, you really are stupid, aren't you?_ Kyuubi shook his head.

_Eh?_

"We're fine," Sakura growled, her eyes blazing. The waitress didn't seem to notice, and tipped over, placing her hand on his shoulder. He leaned away as she tried to press her breasts near his face. Her long, light brown hair brushed by his face, and the scent assaulted his nose. It was much too potent; he preferred Sakura's shampoo. It was light, and he could never seem to get enough of it.

Blue met furious green, but the fury turned to shock as she seemed to read something in his gaze. The waitress was saying something that he didn't even hear; it seemed as if he couldn't quite remember how Sakura's hair smelled, and he wanted to smell it again.

"Naruto, was it? Am I right?"

At the voice of his name, his attention turned back to the waitress. "Eh?"

She giggled, a seemingly annoying sound. It didn't sound like Sakura's at all. "Oh, you silly. You see, I was saying…"

Suddenly, a tiny fist slammed against the table. Kaori sidled as close to the waitress as she could, her face a mask miniature fury. "Oi, oi!" she yelled, catching many of the other customer's attention. "Otou-san is married to Kaa-san! Whatever you're doing you shouldn't! Otou-san doesn't want you! He is perfectly content with Kaa-san." The little girl firmly planted her hands on her hips, daring the woman in front of her to contradict her statement.

The waitress was, quite simply, completely shocked. A few customers laughed, but Kaori remained immovable. The waitress's eyes narrowed, and with a flip of her hair disappeared into the kitchens.

"Hmph," Kaori muttered. "How dare she try to take Otou-san away from Kaa-san." She turned to Sakura, grey eyes filledwith seriousness. "Honestly, Kaa-san, Otou-san wouldn't want anyone else."

"Oh? How?" Though Sakura flicked Naruto a doubtful glance, she was humoring the girl.

"Otou-san never looks at anyone like he looks at you."

"What?" Sakura gasped, glancing at Naruto with shock written over her face. He couldn't pull away from the medic's gaze, and all he could do was listen to Kaori as she explained.

"Hai. Otou-san gives you this look, Kaa-san. It's intense… Demo, I can't explain it well, and I don't know what it means, but I'm sure it means that he doesn't want anyone but you, Kaa-san! I mean, Otou-san promised to keep you safe, ne?"

The look on his teammate's face was unfathomable, but he saw her eyes shake, and they sparkled with tears unshed. Slowly, as if it took all of her energy, Sakura turned her attention back to Kaori.

"Yes. He did promise to keep me safe. And he has," she said softly.

When she blinked it was as if her hold on him had broken. He laughed nervously, anxiously scratching the back of his neck with one hand and picking up a pair of chopsticks with the other. "Itadakimasu! Ne?"

Kaori's face brightened, and she grabbed a pair of chopsticks as well. "Hai!"

_Attentive child. She notices things…_

_I just wish she hadn't noticed _that_. I mean…_

Kyuubi gazed at his host expectantly. _You mean what?_

_I didn't even realize I was doing that,_ he mumbled, eyes downcast.

_Obviously you do,_ Kyuubi mumbled. He lifted his nose in the air, a wicked smile splitting his lips. _And apparently she does, too._

_What?_ Naruto glanced around, his eyes finally landing on his teammate. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she spoke with Kaori. Her body was tense, and she glanced at Naruto before quickly looking away. _Kyuubi… You don't mean…_

_You don't think she could?_

_It's just… I've messed up so much – the Yondaime, when her parents died and I called her useless…_His voice died down. _When I called her a monster. When I almost hit her._ Blue eyes glanced up fiercely. _I almost _hit_ her, Kyuubi._

The demon sighed. _Listen, kid. You said yourself she doesn't seem to hold anything against you._

_Kyuubi…_

_I'm just saying, Twerp._ The fox's eyes blazed intensely for a moment. _Think about it._

"Naruto?"

The blonde blinked, blue eyes meeting hazy green for a moment. A tentative smile graced Sakura's face. "Are you ready to go?" she asked, and suddenly, he felt a silent hum pulse in his blood as he watched her eyes. He sensed Kyuubi shift, and the demon's growl vibrated through his body. Heat stirred in his belly.

_Twerp…_ Kyuubi snarled.

But he wasn't listening. He was focused on the haze of emerald darkening jade eyes. She was staring at him, her gaze traveling from his eyes to his mouth, tracing its shape before sliding down passed his neck. His skin sizzled everywhere she looked, as if her gaze was setting him on fire. Dazed green sunk lower, resting near his groin.

He gulped.

With a short squeak, Sakura turned away when a small hand touched her arm, and Naruto hurriedly cleared his head, even if he could still feel the weight of her stare as if it were a mission pack he had to carry.

"Are we leaving, Kaa-san?" Kaori asked, grey eyes earnest. Sakura nodded quickly, looking quickly at Naruto before her face turned red again.

He had to admit that he very much liked that shade of red.

Kyuubi snorted. _I swear, Twerp, you two must either be blind or the stupidest ninja I've ever met. You two are too stubborn to just go get what you want._

_Na—Nani? What's that supposed to mean, fox?_

The demon glared at him. Honestly, was this kid secretly the densest ninja in the world? Kyuubi shifted, laying down and resting his head on his outstretched paws. _Oh, figure it out for yourself, Twerp._

"Naruto? Shall we go?" Sakura asked somewhat breathlessly, her face still flushed. He nodded and quickly shoved the demon out of his mind. Who really needed a ridiculously cryptic fox that served no intentional purpose whatsoever?

_I heard that._

_And I don't care, so shut up._

The demon chuckled.

Naruto walked out with both girls, quickly paying for the meal from a very disappointed waitress. He didn't miss, however, her look of frank approval (even though she'd already been denied) of the way he seemed to be built.

_Oh… That's what you meant by me being stupid…_

Kyuubi didn't answer, and Naruto was strangely grateful for it. He watched Kaori race out of the restaurant, exclaiming something about exploring. He smiled at the little girl, grateful that he and Sakura had been able to save her from her brother. With a glance to the side, he saw the same look on Sakura's face.

Speaking of which… "Ne, Sakura," he started, not sure if he should continue, but his curiosity got the best of him. "What did you mean by the three sound ninja?"

He sensed more than realized her change of mood. She looked off into the distance and shrugged, but didn't answer. Pink hair fluttered in the cool breeze, but she kept walking, her mouth resolutely shut. He decided to try again.

"Sakura…"

"It's nothing you need to know." But she refused to look at him. She hadn't told him partly because it was involved with Sasuke's seal, and partly because she had never really thought to talk about it. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell him. "The seal… That's when it happened."

"What?"

The kunoichi sighed. "Apparently, after Orochimaru had given Sasuke the seal, the Sound ninja were there to kill Sasuke—to test his acceptance or rejection of the power. Both of you were passed out, and there was no one around, so I had to protect you."

"Sakura, I—"

She held up a hand. "Don't apologize, Naruto. It's how I got my hair, you know. I was sick of feeling useless, and that damn kunoichi wouldn't let go of my hair. So, I cut it, and attacked one of them – Zoku." Even now, she still remembered his name.

Before Naruto could inquire more, a petrified scream pierced the silence, and every nerve in Sakura's body jumped. She didn't even know what she was doing. All she knew was that it had been Kaori's scream, and she was in trouble. Without thinking, her hands formed the seals, shoving her chakra to the right amount, and in a split second of smoke, she was gone.

With a loud cry, chakra gathered on her fist as she smashed it to the earth, grazing something soft and fuzzy with her power. A whimper filled her ears, and she blinked, hurriedly taking in her surroundings. The chakra that had been flowing to her fists in preparation for another punch dissipated as she realized who was standing there.

"Shikamaru? Hinata? Kiba?"

"Damn it," Kiba growled holding his left side. "You need to be more careful about your chakra, Sakura," the dog ninja complained. "You hardly even grazed Akamaru and I can _feel_ what the freakin punch did to him."

"Sakura!" Naruto called, but Kaori turned to the medic nin and frantically grasped her skirt.

"Kaa-san, Otou-san will protect us right? And you'll protect me?"

"Of course, Kaori."

"Kaa-san?" the sarcastic reply caught her off guard, and she quickly tucked the caramel haired girl into her side. Kiba was looking at her as if she were crazy. Kaori's hands fisted into pink hair.

The little girl bent close, eyes wide. "Kaa-san… He has fangs…"

Shikamaru blinked and Kiba laughed. "No way…" he muttered.

"Otou-san!"

Sakura glanced to her left to see Naruto running up on her right. "You… You teleported," he whispered, and she blinked, realizing that she had.

"I guess I just needed a bit of stimulation," she whispered, hugging Kaori to her.

A small finger pointed at the big dog a few feet away. "He almost killed me, Otou-san! I saw his teeth, and… and…" Kaori shuddered.

Kiba growled. "Well, yeah! She just reached out and grabbed his tail!"

Sakura scoffed. "Kiba. Dogs that are chosen as companions for the Inuzuka clan don't do anything unless their master commands." Her brows furrowed, and she fixed the dog ninja with a deadly glare.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I thought it could have been a scout ninja or a man-eating tiger… of sorts." The dog ninja glanced at the ground, shuffling his feet.

Naruto almost laughed as his eyebrows rose. "'A man-eating tiger of sorts'? Kiba that has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say!"

The dog ninja grumbled, and there was even a small smile on Shikamaru's face. But, like any responsible jounin, Shikamaru sighed and ran his hands through his hair, knowing he had to get back to the original reason why they were in Amegakure. "As much as I wish this were a casual visit, it isn't."

Sakura's hands tightened infinitesimally on Kaori's shirt, and pink eyebrows pulled together. "What happened? Is Tsunade-sama okay?"

"No, no, she's fine," Kiba sighed, then shook his head. "It's about you, Sakura." Naruto stiffened by her side as Kiba continued. "We've been tracking a killer that's been on the loose. We've come across four or five, but this one was the worst."

"Samanji?" the medic nin asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Shikamaru nodded. "If he's part of Takai, then yes. Tsunade put us on standby as a scouting and investigation team to monitor his activity." The jounin growled. "I can't seem to figure out what it is this group wants, but I know one thing for sure. He's cutting off your escape routes, Sakura."

"What?"

"Obviously Takai is much bigger than we thought," Kiba scoffed. "Just last night he killed one of our genin squads. The leader didn't even know what hit him, and although the children weren't tortured too badly, it was…" He stopped when Hinata squeaked behind him.

"I-It was t-t-terrible," she whispered. "We f-f-figured there was s-someone w-watching us, even though we c-c-couldn't quite feel them."

"There have been a few similar murders outside of Konoha, this village, and along the route back to Leaf," Shikamaru sighed. "The only thing I can think of is to leave you here with Naruto."

Sakura nodded. "Kaori will go with you guys, though, back to Konoha," she said softly.

The little girl gasped, her fists tightening in Sakura's hair and her shirt. " No, Kaa-san! I don't want to go!"

"Kaori, you'll be safe there." Her voice was gentle, but Naruto didn't miss the note of sadness.

Kaori shook her head. "No! You said you'd protect me, and you can't do that if I'm away from you! Kaa-san," she whispered, grey eyes filling with tears. "I love you. I know that if I was with you, I'd be protected no matter what."

The medic nin felt her heart melt. "You love me?"

"Of course, Kaa-san," Kaori mumbled, shoving her face into the crook of Sakura's neck. She sniffled quietly, hands still tight on Sakura's hair and shirt.

Sakura held the girl closer. "I love you, too, Kaori. And I will protect you."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what."

Kiba coughed. "Not to disrupt anything, Sakura, but, uh…" Kiba scratched his head nervously, apparently much more afraid of Sakura's temper-invoked punches than he had been before. "We came to talk strategy… er, and stuff, so…"

"Of course," Sakura said quickly, turning to Kaori. "Can you stay at the hospital for a little while? I'm not sure how long the meeting will go, but I know that my assistant Chihiro will be happy to watch over you, okay?"

The little girl nodded as Sakura set her down, jumping in for one last hug before hurrying toward the hospital. Naruto stepped closer. He wasn't sure if it would help, but he placed a hand on his teammate's shoulder. She gasped and looked at him, her eyes softening as a low "thank you" escaped her lips.

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Sakura?"

"Right. Of course," she voiced, her tone brusque as she straightened and faced the jounin leader. However, she was glad to see that Naruto didn't move his hand.

"Ne, ne. Looks like we have a party."

All five ninja gasped, and though Naruto and Sakura recognized the lazy, matter-of-fact speech, Kiba was the first to say anything. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yo!"

"What are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?" Shikamaru asked.

The white haired ninja shrugged, but the voice that came next had no resemblance to Kakashi's at all. "Why do I smell two wet dogs?" A black paw, followed by a blood-red body and white-tipped tail stepped out from behind the jounin. Chisoku groaned. "Just what I need. Two stinky mutts to sting my nose."

Akamaru growled, as did Kiba. "What the hell is that, Naruto?" Kiba yelled.

Shikamaru was at a loss for words, and Hinata squeaked, "H-He t-t-talked…"

Kakashi laughed. Sakura looked at Naruto, her wide smile reflecting his. It had taken them a long time to get used to a talking fox as well, but as much as Chisoku got on their nerves (most of the time), he had been away for a while and hadn't bothered them so much.

The fox scoffed. "Did you think I was dumb."

"Well, sometimes what comes out of your mouth is stupid… I mean, your brain's small and all…"

Chisoku growled, and Naruto couldn't help it when his smile widened. It had been a while since he had teased the summon, and it was as if there was something else between them, an unspoken amount of respect to either's skill. Naruto let the smile slide off of his face and nodded to the fox. Chisoku scoffed, but still repeated the same action to Naruto.

Shikamaru shook his head. "You guys have a lot to explain to us."

Sakura turned to the team of three, jade eyes sparkling. "Oh, you have no idea."

* * *

**A/N:** Dude, can I say that I freakin love Samanji? I mean, he's totally awesome! He's so twisted and weird that it's cool. I dunno. Maybe it's because he's my character and that's why I like him so much.

Well, like I said before, I'm sorry this chapter is such a failure. I really felt soooo spaced out while I was writing this, so forgive me if the characters seem a bit off. I know the next few chapters will definitely be better, and things will start to pick up, but this chapter was a killer. I want to kill it.

- wolf's paradise


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Wow, I wrote this one fast! Now, I know you guys probably would have wanted me to post this right away, but I wanted to wait a while so that I could get started on some of the next chapters for this story! Since they might take some time to write, you know? And can you believe it? I wrote half of this chapter in one day. Talk about ideas bustling in my head… But maybe it's because of my wonderful inspiration! I was listening to the track for Pirates of the Caribbean 3 almost the entire time I was writing this, and I absolutely love that soundtrack! It is simply amazing, and the orchestral work is that of certifiable genius! It's just so… soothing =).

Anyway, I must say you guys made it awesome when I read your reviews. I know that Samanji is supposed to be one of those disgusting guys that like, in the movies you're like "Just die already, you freakin' bastard!" lol! But maybe I love him because he's my character… I mean, you guys definitely don't have to like him; I have friends who think Kabuto is just awesome, and I want to strangle them for it…

Okay, I need to shut up now. So back to the chapter: I love it! Absolutely and positively. I'm not necessarily sure why… maybe it's because I'm giving more depth to some of my characters and they're coming to life for me, or maybe it's because I'm delving into the logistics of some jutsu, but I am also happy that this one was soooo much easier to write than my last one. And I think it spans what – just one night? Which is crazy cause it's such a long chapter lol!

Chapter Seventeen

The small room where Sakura and Naruto had seen the teachers conduct their meetings was filled with five ninja and a large, blood red fox. The medic sighed heavily. Kakashi had left a while ago, claiming he had something of great importance awaiting him. Everyone knew it was simply his beloved orange book.

It took almost two hours to brief Shikamaru and his team about everything that had happened, since Kiba interrupted most of the time and severely slowed the process down. Of course, Naruto and Sakura left out information such as their training in the rain (and what had followed after), Akane's statement about the Yondaime, and their familiarity with Kyuubi. However, it took the longest to explain about Chisoku. Kiba sat as far away from the fox as possible, a permanent scowl on his face as Akamaru sat stiffly next to his master, refusing to let his hackles down.

Sakura gazed at Chisoku, watching him as he sat on the small circular table they surrounded, licking his paws calmly and ignoring Kiba's discomfort and Akamaru's constant, low growls. She had to hand it to the fox; he was quite smart, and though he might not admit it, she knew he respected Naruto at least a little.

Hinata suddenly stepped forward, bowing slightly to the fox. "A-Ano…" She blushed, but kept glancing at Chisoku. "Nevermind," she finally whispered.

Chisoku fixed her with an intense stare, his voice lazy but insistent. "I don't mind if you ask me."

The Hyuuga heiress blushed again, but nodded. "I w-was j-j-just wondering if I c-could p-p-pet you." She poked her fingers together, her face somehow even more red than before.

The fox seemed shocked at her request. Sakura had no doubt that he had never once given it any thought to let a human pet him, but Sakura figured she would start for him. She reached forward, careful of Kaori. It had been late and Sakura had needed to pick up Kaori before the meeting had ended. The girl had been extremely tired, and after a few minutes she had fallen asleep, her head resting in the crook of Sakura's neck. But somehow, her hand had found Naruto's, and clutched onto it as if it were her last lifeline.

The medic softly touched Chisoku, thankful that the fox only stiffened and hadn't bounded away in surprise. She smiled. "See? He doesn't mind." Chisoku turned his eyes on her, red glazed with intense surprise. Quickly, his tongue flicked out of his mouth as he swallowed. Naruto stiffened by her side, and she surreptitiously leaned closer, letting her left arm holding Kaori gently touch his. She could feel some of the tension ease from his body, but it didn't disappear completely.

Finally, Chisoku shrugged. "Be my guest."

Hinata carefully spread her fingers over Chisoku's back, and the fox flicked his tongue again. Sakura's brows furrowed, sure she had heard a growl from Kiba and Akamaru, but she couldn't be sure. After a short minute, Hinata backed away, thanking the fox and going toward her fellow teammate. Shikamaru sighed, placing his hands on the table and fixing Sakura with a stare as he opened his mouth to speak.

But it was Hinata that spoke first. "D-Demo, Sakura-san," she started, her fingers poking together again. "I u-understand everything g-going on, but h-h-how does she f-f-fit in?" she asked, soft lavender eyes regarding the caramel-haired girl.

At once Sakura's attention focused intently on everything being said. "Kaori?"

Kiba nodded. "I mean, she's definitely not your kid." After a moment, he said, "Right?"

The jounin sighed, shaking his head at the dog ninja.

Sakura looked down at the girl, her shoulders moving in a slow, steady rhythm as she slept. For as long as Kaori had been with them, the girl had grown on Sakura more than she could have imagined. She hadn't always been fond of children – most were loud and annoying. Many civilian mothers did teach their children well, but they hated going to the hospital. Sakura had left those medical tasks to her subordinates, but there had been times when she had needed to take care of them.

Since coming here, she had met countless adorable children in Amegakure, most of them orphans since Pein had either killed their parents or used them if they were ninja. She had met Masuyo and Kaori, and through their excitement she knew her view of children would never be the same.

"Naruto found her," Sakura said softly, cheeks tinting slightly as she looked at her teammate.

"Her brother used her to work for him," Naruto scoffed, anger buried deep in his voice. "We were able to prove that he shouldn't be her guardian, so Amekage Eiji let us take care of her."

The intensity of his stare caught Sakura off guard, but she pulled her gaze away from him. "She means a lot to us. We've taken care of her for a while now."

"Are you taking her back with you?"

"Of course!" Sakura said indignantly (as quietly as she could, of course).

Shikamaru nodded, then rested his head on his hands. "As much as I'd like to help you guys with the mission, Tsunade said we're only supposed to be back-up."

"But that's why she sent you, right?" Naruto argued.

The medic felt the sudden tension between her teammate and Shikamaru. So, she diverted the topic to a different subject. "Is there any information about what this guy's abilities are?"

The jounin looked up, ready to answer, but Kiba beat him to it. "Besides the fact that he has amazing stealth? No. Hinata used her Byakugan to survey the chakra patterns around the crime scene, and found large amounts of chakra residue around one of the thickets."

"He was controlling his chakra, dimming it down so they didn't notice," Sakura murmured, eyes intense.

"Hai," Shikamaru nodded. "Kiba and Akamaru were relatively able to sniff out positions and methods of attack. It seems that he waited to attack, and when he did, the jounin leader had no idea what was coming."

Naruto's voice dropped. "And of course, the genin were no match for him."

"No," the jounin sighed. "They tried to fight, but patches of scent and movement were lost. Kiba feels that whatever jutsu this guy used, it was water. That's one of our clues, but other than that we don't know how powerful he is." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome."

But Sakura could tell that Shikamaru really was worried. And she knew why. It wasn't just any mission. His friends' lives were in danger, and he wanted to be able to help them and protect them before it was too late.

"Look. Shikamaru," Sakura started, voice soft, "it's okay if you can't figure it out, yet. These things take time, and even the most skilled ninja couldn't figure out Akatsuki's true mission and the mystery behind Pein. I think we still have some more time. Besides, it's getting late. We all need to get to bed."

Naruto agreed, and the five ninja stood. Kiba and Akamaru still kept their distance from Chisoku, but the fox still bid the three ninja goodbye. With a quick glance at Naruto and Sakura, he said, "I'm sleeping elsewhere. I'll see you both tomorrow." A hop and three steps later, he was gone.

Sakura sighed. "Here, take her," she said softly.

"What?" Blue eyes were wide, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh slightly at his surprised expression.

"You put her to bed tonight. She's missed you a lot lately. We've been hanging out at the hospital but I know she'd like some time with you, even if she's asleep and you just put her to bed." Her smile was kind, and he couldn't help but stare at it.

"Sure," he finally managed, gently prying Kaori out of Sakura's arms. The girl shifted, moaning slightly, but didn't wake. He breathed out a breath he hadn't known he'd held. Sakura really wished he could see how wonderful he looked, holding that little girl so carefully.

It was so amazing how hands so powerful – powerful enough to sign seals to form chakra, to form a spinning ball of wind that could morph into millions of deadly blades, to have the power, if demon influenced, to decimate a village, or to produce claws – could be so careful and gentle when holding a small girl. It was beautiful. The look on his face was adorable, one of soft awe and adoration.

He did love that girl.

"She loves you, too, Naruto."

Blue eyes quickly shifted, staring at her. Sakura dipped her head, a light flush tinting her cheeks. "I'll be training for a bit." On a sudden impulse, she leaned in, swiftly touching her lips to his cheek. She hurried away, leaving him in stunned silence. She didn't stop until she had reached a lake a good mile or so from the Academy.

_What was that all about?_ her Inner scoffed.

_I don't know…_ Sakura touched her fingers to her lips. It was one of the few kisses that she remembered. Well, she could clearly remember the others, but this was the first one that wasn't inspired by unfamiliar urges.

_I liked it_, her Inner smiled.

_So did I._

_Told you that you liked him._

Sakura had the decency to blush. _I know I do. I just don't know how much, and I don't know what he wants._

Her Inner provided no answer, but Sakura felt it was fine. She had something else on which to focus.

Her gaze lingered over the lake, the water beckoning to her as if it were a long-lost part of her. And in a way, it was. She hadn't known until now that her chakra affinity was for water. She had never recognized that spark inside of her when she had performed the jutsu that kept her and many of her various teammates dry.

But here was the lake, the water beautiful and shimmering softly in the moonlight. It was near a piece of land that used to be a training field, but had been closed down. She could see why they didn't want it destroyed. Here in Amegakure, most ninjas' affinity was for water, and what better way to preserve it than in this lake?

Excitement flooded her veins like an infectious disease. She hurriedly discarded her boots and red top, exposing the bandages still covering her chest to help support her during battles or training sessions. After unbuckling the skirt and letting it fall to the bank, she slowly stepped onto the water. It was almost as if she wanted to savor this moment, and she did.

It had been too long since she had trained on the lake at night. It was one of her biggest and most precious secrets. She wanted to be strong, and she knew that Naruto had his own jutsu, Kakashi had his own jutsu, Ino, Hinata, Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Shino all had their kekkai genkai, but she didn't have anything.

A month after coming to Amegakure, she knew she had to come up with one herself. It wasn't until she had visited Tsunade after her parents' death that she had come up with the answer. Hers would be medically related, and it had to be useful, deadly, but immensely helpful when needed. Where she would find something like that had given her too many headaches, but it had been various things that had influenced the end result of what she'd chosen.

Masuyo and Kaori's healing, the basics of Mystic Palm, and the other tools that medics had to use all played a role. And it definitely wasn't easy. It had taken weeks just to figure out which aspects of healing she wanted, and she had just begun to perform the basics of her new jutsu. But for now, she would simply enjoy the water.

It felt like heaven. The coolness of it surrounded her like mist, seeped through her blood like a life force, and prickled drops of cool dew on her neck that slipped down her spine. She hopped on her toes across the water, enjoying the freedom flowing through her.

She gathered the water around her, short strands that twirled with her as she moved in ever changing circles, a prelude to her control. It warmed her up, letting her taste the water, gently letting it know that she could wield it. She wasn't too good at controlling water for jutsu yet, but it felt like a part of her already. But, like all good things, it had to end sometime.

She needed to get back to work.

In her mind, things were easily visualized. She dipped her head in concentration, holding out her palm. She let her chakra concentrate in the center, to whir and mix in controlled swirls of energy. First, the scalpel. She felt her chakra tighten, contract, and sharpen. Next, the sutures. Woven threads of chakra twisted next to the sharpened scalpel that continued into the five more medical tools.

Sakura bent down, carefully controlling the chakra in her right hand. With her left, she filled her palm with water. Her chakra hummed above the liquid, clipping the molecules as droplets cut from her hand. Her eyes opened suddenly as she felt her chakra slip – dangerously. Water splayed across her face as she gasped in pain. She gritted her teeth, and looked down.

Her hand looked as if a wolf had chewed it open. Skin was hanging in bits, and her muscles were twitching in shocked spasms. She couldn't pull her gaze away from the bones of her hand that were exposed, and suddenly, the sting was worse than anything she could have imagined.

Blood dripped freely into the lake, and after the initial shock and adrenaline rubbed off, her hand shook violently. She gasped as the pain hit in new waves, and she barely had time to push chakra to her knees to stay above water as she fell. She gripped her wrist, trying to think through the pain slicing from her hand up her arm and through the muscles of her chest.

Chakra shifted through her uninjured hand, creeping into her arm and slowly rearranging the muscles, tendons, and bones that her own chakra had severed. As the pain intensified, a scream bubbled in her throat, choking her, suffocating her, threatening to burst inside of her if she didn't let it out.

But she wasn't going to scream. She _couldn't_ scream. Naruto had had many painful injuries without ever uttering a sound, and she could do it, too. So she pulled her memories of him, using him as a buffer so the snaps of bone and slips of muscle didn't deter her concentration. She used the memories to keep her sane, to keep her from giving up.

It seemed like hours until her hand stopped stinging. Sweat poured down her forehead in little rivulets as she finished with the injury, finally allowing herself to fall to her hands and knees in shock, pain, and exhaustion.

Water from the lake gently rose in calming, invisible drops, settling on her skin, letting her take from it its healing power. It reminded Sakura of the water removal jutsu she had performed, where water was transferred into extra chakra for her to use.

"Damn it," she muttered. Medical jutsu came easily to her, but normal jutsu didn't. Granted, this was a medical procedure, but it was mixing medical knowledge with other methods of chakra control, and it didn't seem to be working.

This was utterly ridiculous. Naruto had his Rasengan that could morph into his Rasenshuriken. Kakashi had Raikiri. Hinata had Byakugan, Ino had her Shintenshin, and Tenten had her scrolls filled with weapons of mass destruction. All Sakura had were her medical jutsu, and though she could be considered the strongest of the Rookie Nine (in terms of sheer strength, not necessarily power), she didn't have anything special, nothing that was exquisitely hers.

And it grated on her nerves. No matter how hard she tried she still felt that old sensation of uselessness. It would only manifest sometimes, when she felt paralyzed by the worry that would occasionally consume her. Teeth crunched together. No. She could do this. She _could_. And she _would_.

She stood and gathered her chakra again, letting the images of the weapons sift through her mind as if they were painted onto a scroll. The intensity burned the palm of her hand, but she bore it, knowing she could. Her eyes closed, and she let the feel of her chakra flow through her veins, letting herself feel the way the jutsu was supposed to be constructed, its complicated flow of cutting, weaving, slicing, hooking, and snipping.

Next, once she was sure she had a firm grip on her chakra, she carefully placed her chakra above the water, watching it churn before she used the first instrument. Her eyes closed again, relishing once more in the movement of the technique. She felt it weave, cut, strip, and suddenly, she felt it. It was right.

_Now_.

She slammed her hand into the lake, the water whipping away as if a wicked sort of chain had severed it.

A long sigh sifted from her lips. It still wasn't perfect. But it was better, much better than it had been for a while now. It seemed that the trick was to feel it, to let herself understand the way her chakra worked these particular weapons simultaneously. She couldn't quite remember everything about it, but she would know it if she felt it again.

Pride burst through her. She was doing it. She was on her way.

_Yosh! Let's try again!_

_Careful!_ her Inner warned. _Don't get too cocky._

Sakura's brow furrowed in concentration. _Right._

But it seemed to fail. Over and over she tried, working tirelessly despite the fact that her chakra was running low. It seemed as if that one time was all she got, and she kept her mouth shut through the pain that assaulted her arms. She bent to one knee, trying to be strong until the pain began to fade and she tried again.

_One… One more time,_ she panted.

_But, what if…? We can't go on like this for too much longer. You know that._ Her Inner was right, but Sakura needed this. She needed to do it one last time. She had already built the resolve to sit through the pain again, and she wouldn't disappoint by giving up too early.

When the steps were repeated, she fished for that feeling again, the rightness about it all. It wouldn't come. Her palm burned again (how many times it had been burned these past few hours was beyond her), but it was a heated burn, like something wasn't right, like water that would soon boil over and scald your face. Warning signals flashed in her brain, but she ignored them, pushing them aside. She pressed forward, honing her chakra, stripping it down.

It slipped.

She gasped, just barely able to take away her hand before it was severed again. Chakra brushed over the surface, and a thin but deep cut stretched from the top of her left forefinger to halfway down her forearm. She bit down a scream and held her arm, hurrying over to the bank, settling on her haunches and trying to control her chakra to heal herself despite the pain. This one was the second worst cut yet – not counting the first, of course.

The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly prickled. Her eyes widened, and her chakra shivered and thickened inside of her. She clenched her teeth, trying to prepare herself as much as she could through the agony in her hand as blood dripped to the ground.

Someone was watching her.

00000

"You reckless, _stupid_, disgusting _fool_!"

The voice was as loud as an explosion, and her anger created no less than one. She flung him against the walls, surged to his side and threw him again. The _idiot_. The stupid, useless idiot! Did he not know how much work she had put into this plan? How _hard_ she had been forced to search for every bit of information on that medical girl, the final piece of their puzzle?

No, of course not. Because he was stupid. He was reckless.

"D-Demo," he muttered breathlessly, frantically trying to stand so he could bow – or something like that. "Boss, let me explain."

"Explain what?" she growled, forcing out each syllable with carefully controlled patience because she was at the end of her rope. He could have ruined everything. It could have all been for nothing, and their target would have been farther away, impossible to capture.

Thankfully, _she_ wasn't stupid.

"I had to cut off her escape route. I had to make her feel unsafe, to make her forfeit her mission and misjudge something." His dark eyes pleaded with her to understand, but she wasn't the boss for nothing.

Her eyes were colder than frozen steel, and her posture was rigid. She knew he could tell that he had done something very, very bad. "Cut off her escape route so she would make a mistake? Is _that_ what you were thinking?"

Samanji barely had time to nod his head before she was attacking him again, punching the life out of him because he dare not use his jutsu against her, even if it were to protect himself. She felt the sick pleasure in hearing his bones crunch as he flew into wall after wall. Besides, he needed a good lesson in obedience to leadership.

When she finally let him rest, her angry voice was just as cold as her eyes. "Samanji, do you really think that girl is like the others you've captured?" She walked around him, smiling to herself at the visible shudders every time her heeled boots clinked on the concrete. "Even if I don't believe she's a good apprentice of the Godaime Hokage, we can't take any chances, now can we?"

"N-No, Shuhan-sama," he muttered in acquiescence.

She smiled at his hesitation to surrender, and patted his head. After a moment, she kneeled next to him, the smile on her face wicked. He immediately knew this wasn't going to be good.

"Now," she murmured, leaning toward his ear. "I want you to use the scalpel in the other room. It's only a matter of time before that second head of yours is thinking before your other one does again." She laughed, the sound not at all pretty or kind. His eyes widened.

"And I want you to design a mark just above your pants. It needs to be as wide as your hips. And of course, the mark needs to be that of my clan's symbol. You know, just so you remember not to take your pants off. Something to remind you of me, and how you never, ever go against my orders." She stood suddenly, heels clicking violently as she walked out. The anger that had coated her voice in the last sentence sent chills down his spine, but he couldn't obey. His injured body wasn't letting him move, and he felt his throat close up.

It was starting. He tried to resist, to break the hold, but it was inevitable. Her words echoed in his ear like a silent prayer, pushing his limbs to support him so he would stand, so he would grab that scalpel and carve a symbol on his own skin. He vomited, his stomach churning, protesting, telling him to just do it before he self-destructed.

"Damn you," he muttered, sure that she couldn't hear him. She had used her technique on him, that silent, creeping ability, and he still had no idea how it worked.

It fought with him, warred with him, broke down his organs until he felt as if he would die from the pain. Well so be it. He would not carve a symbol for someone else for as long as he lived. He would rather die than be hers forever. She scared him, and she knew it. She knew he didn't like fear.

He cried out as the commands ripped at his tissues, blood pulsing through him in places that it shouldn't be. This wasn't right. He couldn't die!

The snap of fingers reached his ears, and suddenly, everything stopped. For a few moments, his eyes remained shut. Silence rang in his ears as he lay there panting. He wasn't a medical ninja, and therefore couldn't assess his injuries if he had any, but he still felt the remnants of excruciating pain.

"Izanami," Shuhan said slowly.

"Hai?" Samanji's partner said, hurrying after their leader. The black-haired female shot a worried glance back at him, but followed nonetheless.

"Shut the door," Boss instructed, and Izanami did as she was told. The leader whipped around, hair flying as she fixed Izanami with her cold stare. The medic ninja gulped, but stood her ground. In a moment, Boss' eyes changed. She just looked… annoyed.

"Shuhan-sama? Is there something you need me for?" Izanami asked quietly, her voice reflecting the respect she held for her leader.

"Take care of your teammate, will you?" she murmured as she sat in an armchair on the far side of the room, examining the nails on her hands. Her knees rested over one armrest while her back was propped against the other. Her voice indicated her irritation, but it wasn't enough for her to be upset like she had been with Samanji. Izanami _never_ wanted to incur Shuhan's wrath like that, or in any other way. Shuhan could make you do anything – even kill yourself. But Izanami had a certain amount of respect for her teammate. Samanji had guts defying Shuhan-sama's orders like that.

"Hai." Izanami bowed low.

"Wait, Izanami," Shuhan called when Izanami began to back out of the room. Izanami tilted her head questioningly, but Shuhan simply examined her nails again. "I have a plan. Since Samanji screwed this up, we need to move soon. Not tonight, and not necessarily tomorrow, but the next day at the latest."

"Hai. What is our task?"

"First off you are to _watch_ that insignificant bastard as if your life depended on it," she growled, and from the look on Shuhan-sama's face, she really did mean Izanami's _life_.

The black-haired medic nodded quickly.

"Second, we need someone close to our target." Shuhan's voice had returned to its normal, calculating pitch. "Does she have an assistant? Does she have a friend visiting us in Amegakure that is a medic like she is? Is she as watchful of her friends as she is that pathetic child she carries?"

"Our target is pregnant?" Izanami could hardly believe she had a kid, let alone being pregnant. She had seen their target, the one with the pink hair. She couldn't be…

"Of course not," the woman scoffed. "Apparently she adopted that child after… hmm, certain 'bad things' had happened to her." Shuhan let out a harsh laugh. "Well, it's your job to find out. Shadow her tomorrow. If you see your opportunity, grab it. Don't wait. And I will make sure _you_ have control. If not, use your technique on him. He doesn't like extremely powerful women that he can be afraid of. Use it." Shuhan fixed Izanami with a cold stare, her mouth quirked in a wicked smile. "If you have to, of course." Again, as Izamani turned to leave, Shuhan called her back. "Oh, and Izanami? Get that over zealous fool Daichi to meet me. I need to speak with him."

"Daichi?" Izanami whispered. If Shuhan was calling for help, this wasn't good. It meant she wanted back up, not because she didn't think she'd win, but because she wanted to take down as many people in Amegakure as possible.

Shuhan nodded. "He'll know where to meet me. Now go," she said apathetically, waving her hand at the black-haired ninja.

Izanami bowed respectfully, then hurried out of the room. No one was particularly fond of Shuhan, no matter how pretty she really was. To a certain extent, Izanami could be cruel, but that little voice inside of her had revolted violently when she had thought that their target might be pregnant. It was one thing if the ninja were men or single women, but to kill an unborn, a complete innocent – it grated on her nerves.

This organization felt like it was crumbling, but she was in too deep to get out.

Samanji was still on the floor where Shuhan had left him. His body was shaking in pain, but there were no internal injuries. Izanami shook her head, gathering the large ninja in her arms and taking him to her room of tables to heal him.

"What do you get yourself into, Samanji?" she said quietly.

He gave a shaky laugh. "You know I have problems with authority."

She frowned. "So do I, but that doesn't mean I pretend to be better than Shuhan-sama. You should know better, Samanji. What she wants, she gets, and there isn't anything we can do about it."

"You sound disappointed."

"Well, if I knew we were going to get in this deep I would have gotten out long ago. I mean, what the hell does Shuhan-sama want? She doesn't tell us. She keeps it a secret, and all we do is gather vessels with extremely high chakra control." Izanami worked mechanically, and apologized glumly when she accidently pushed harder than intended on a sore spot of Samanji's.

The black-eyed ninja scoffed. "Yeah, well, I have an idea. It isn't solid, but I think I heard her talking about it once."

"Oh?" She was trying not to sound too interested, but she knew Samanji could tell she was by the smile on his face.

"Che, yeah. She was sayin' something about bijuu."

Izanami rolled her eyes. "And you'd figure that someone would learn by what happened to Akatsuki. They went after the bijuu and look where it got them."

"Yeah, but this was different." Samanji thought for a moment. "She said something about bijuu and using just one of them to help her take control of the world. A jinchuuriki can have more than enough power to take out skilled jounin or even ANBU units, you know."

"True. So then what's the chakra for?"

Samanji shrugged. "Beats the shit outta me."

The medic sighed. "I don't know," she said softly. "Recently, I've been wanting out. I don't think I want to do this anymore."

"You're growing soft, Nami," Samanji growled. She peeked up at him, surprised he had used the nickname for her. He hadn't since…

"Ne, Samanji. Do you remember when we were kids?"

"Of course," he said sarcastically, but she could see he liked the memories, too.

"Maybe that's why I can't quite quit yet. Because Shuhan-sama took us in. We owe her a favor. We owe her our lives and our existence."

"Bullshit." Samanji sat up and spit on the ground. Izanami gasped in shock. "Was she there for either of us when we were learning our skills, learning about chakra and how to use it? No. She wasn't there for any of us. She didn't help us. She _recruited_ us for her own damn purposes, and I'm about to say the hell with it all. But I can't. Our target… She looks just how one should be, just how one should act. It's all so perfect…"

Izanami stepped back and turned her head away.

"Nami?"

"When did you get to be like this? When was the only thing you cared about blood, death, and your own sick pleasure?" she almost yelled, because maybe she had liked him when they were younger, when they had needed each other. Maybe she had liked him after he had killed his parents, because she understood about hatred and abuse. And maybe she had liked him after that, and even now, because she had always known him, and they had always been together as a team.

He looked away, and shrugged. She gritted her teeth and turned her back on him. Nothing was feeling right anymore. And to add to it all, she knew that facets of what he had said were true. They really didn't owe Shuhan anything. She had gathered the both of them for their unique abilities, and had helped Izanami to hone hers, as well as develop an inner apathy for all things living, but she hadn't taught Izanami everything she knew.

She couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't lose any more of herself than she already had. This last one – this last one was it, and she would do no more. She had had enough. She wasn't going through with anymore missions on which Shuhan might send her. She was done.

"Nami?"

For some reason, the use of her old nickname grated on her nerves now. They weren't young anymore. They weren't innocent. As much as she wanted to go back to those days, she couldn't. And it was time for associations with that past to vanish as well. All she could change right now was the path that she would take.

"Do whatever you like, Samanji," Izanami murmured coldly, her back still turned toward her teammate. "Meet me here at six tomorrow morning. Shuhan has a mission for us." With that, she stalked out.

00000

He really didn't know what to do. Kaori was sleeping soundly, but his arms were stiff because he really didn't know how to hold her. How had Sakura held her…? Well, even still, the little girl moved around a lot, unable to get comfortable. Maybe if he relaxed a bit, then she would sleep soundly again.

And it was almost natural – the way his body shifted and moved to accommodate the sleeping package kept safe in his arms. Once he had let go of the thought that he didn't know how, it seemed that he did. He relaxed, his arms cushioning the little girl as she slept, and she nuzzled her face into the spot just below his collarbone. He blushed – he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was that feeling that had consumed him, the one that he felt when Sakura was near, but this was somehow different.

The walk back to the Academy was silent, filled only with the sound of Kaori's peaceful breathing. And he didn't mind. It was as if a strange calm had flowed over his body, and he knew that holding her, keeping her safe was what made him happy. She was like a daughter to him.

And it washed over him with startling realization.

_I envy you_. The voice in the back of his mind was soft, like a cool but sad wind washing over his conscious.

_Kyuubi?_ It was startling, and a bit unnerving how the demon's voice had sounded. _Kyuubi? I… don't understand_.

Silence whispered across the planes of his mind for so long, he didn't think the demon would answer. But when Naruto had almost reached the Academy, the fox chose to spoke, and his voice wasn't soft and fluttering across the jinchuuriki's conscious like it had been before. It was stronger again, like it normally was, like it belonged to something solid.

_Do you?_

Naruto's brow furrowed. _Do I what?_

_Do you really not understand why I envy you?_

It was a simple question, but one that Naruto wasn't sure he could answer. He was sure that he didn't understand Kyuubi's sadness, the softness in his voice. Its pitch was devoid of all anger – every other emotion possible. But come to think of it…

_Search. I know you know._

There was something poking the back of his mind. Something else was evident in Kyuubi's voice, something that would give him a clue, and his mind provided the words to describe it. _Longing. Sadness._

Of course…

_Emiko. The child of yours that she was pregnant with._

Kyuubi nodded slowly. He looked suddenly aged, tired, and sick. This wasn't the demon that used to smile at him with wicked contempt. This wasn't the fox that was normally so vigorous, and so attuned to how Sakura reacted to Naruto. This was the fox that really had lived thousands of years, and had spent the majority of it alone or in pain. This was the fox that had found someone he would have loved forever, no matter what happened, and it had been taken away. The pain had manifested itself deeper and deeper with each passing decade, like an oyster with an irritation.

And it had built walls around it to protect itself.

_Do you want to talk to her? I mean, I don't know how you did that thing where you talked through my mouth when I was fighting Chisoku, but we can try._

The demon lifted his head, utterly confused for a moment before his eyes aged centuries again in front of Naruto's watchful stare. _No. Just seeing her through your eyes… holding her through your arms is enough for me. It's enough for me to remember… without too much regret._

_Did you know?_ At Kyuubi's relatively apathetic stare, Naruto explained. _If it would be a boy or a girl, I mean._

Eyes drifted to the distance, and the demon moved slowly, as if all the strength had been sapped from his muscles and it was hard to stir from his sitting position. The blood red eyes were sad, tired, and even a little scared – in the deepest part of their ruby tint.

_No. Emiko didn't care what it was; she was just happy that we were having a baby together._

_And… And you?_ Naruto prodded gently.

_I_… It was as if Kyuubi were deathly afraid to admit it, as if saying it out loud would finally undo the protective wall he'd built around himself. And when his eyes met Naruto's, the blonde knew that Kyuubi was just as vulnerable and felt just as much as any human. _I… I wanted a little girl. Red eyes would have been frightening to the general public, so I wanted her to have Emiko's eyes… I definitely wouldn't have minded red hair, she would stand out more and it'd match, especially if she had developed Emiko's temper…_

The demon seemed unable to say anymore.

Naruto understood. So, he gave the fox his space, and carefully placed Kaori in the second bed on the right wall of the room. The six-year-old stirred for a moment, then opened bleary grey eyes. She blinked twice.

"Otou-san?" she whispered.

"Yes. It's me, Kaori," Naruto said softly, worrying that speaking any louder would ruin the moment. Her expression, so _trusting_, struck a cord in Naruto's chest, and he knew that he would always protect this little girl no matter what happened.

The girl rubbed her eyes tiredly, and suddenly seemed to focus on her surroundings. "Kaa-san…?"

"Is out training," Naruto supplied. "She's working hard, you know. She wants to be strong enough to protect you."

"You, too, Otou-san?"

He nodded, blue eyes earnest, voice quiet. "Yes. She works very hard to protect me, too."

"Otou-san, what did you feel like when you met Kaa-san?"

The question was innocent enough, but Naruto felt as if it bordered on… Well, it didn't matter. She should know anyway, and if it fit into a type of story, it should lull her to sleep in no time.

"I remember meeting her when we were young. She had this really cool hair: pink! I mean, what girl has _pink_ hair? But it looked amazing on her. Her face looked angelic, like someone from the sky had fallen and decided to live here – an angel among the rest of us."

"Kaa-san was an angel?" Kaori's eyes were wide with interest.

He smiled. "She was – to me, at least. Everyone made fun of her because of her pink hair, but I liked it. And then, we were going to the Academy together, and placed on the same team. There wasn't too much about it, just that I began to really fall in love with her a week or two before we had a few of our exams, ones that would see if we could become higher ninja or not."

"Otou-san, what was it like?" She stared at him with rapt interest, and he couldn't help but oblige her. So he sat on the bed next to her, and gathered her into his lap.

"It was so scary."

She gasped. "Really?"

Naruto nodded gravely. "There were snakes as big as this, and centipedes as long as that, and lots of people that wanted to steal your scroll." His arms moved in motions as he spoke, articulating his key points. "But we fought them off. Sakura helped to protect us, to keep us safe when both me and our other teammate had fallen unconscious."

The girl whispered reverently, "Kaa-san saved you…" Then, she snuggled into Naruto's arm, holding it tightly. "Just like you saved me, Otou-san."

"Yeah," Naruto laughed quietly. "I guess I did."

"Otou-san, why do you love Kaa-san?" Kaori was no laying down again, her eyes threatening to close as she tried to stay awake. Naruto decided to indulge her. He couldn't resist.

"Sakura is Sakura," Naruto sighed. "She and I were alike in the beginning, but I think it's her spirit, not just her beauty that captures me the most. She has this… this soul, and it's so pure sometimes I think I'll drown in it. But it's a good kind of drown. It's like she is the only thing I want to see, the only one I want to be near."

"What do you mean by pure?"

It was an innocent question, and Naruto hesitated for a moment, deliberating ona way to put his thoughts together. "I guess it's something like… There's still a part of her that's waiting to bloom, that's still innocent and pure."

"Am I like that, Otou-san?"

The smile that touched his lips seemed to reach everywhere on his face. "Of course. You are brilliant, Kaori. The best daughter anyone could ask for."

Her face lit up like a candle's flame. "Otou-san, tell me a story!"

"A story? But it's late!" Not to mention that Sakura would probably kill him if he let her stay up too late… which suddenly seemed to make it all worthwhile. He wasn't sure why it seemed like a good idea to make Sakura angry, but it wasn't like she needed to know Kaori went to bed late. She was training anyway.

Kaori simply scooted closer to Naruto and rested her head near his arm. She sat on his lap and looked earnestly at his face, eyes wide. He groaned. How in the world was he supposed to resist _that_?

"Alright."

"Yes!" she quietly exclaimed in triumph.

Naruto smiled, but held her close and thought for a moment. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, and she lived in a lonely castle. She never wanted to come out because she was afraid of what people thought of her. But every day, she was visited by a handsome prince." At that, Kaori gasped in pleasure, and Naruto held up a finger. "But she didn't know he was a prince. He dressed plainly, and every night he would throw rocks at her window so that she would come onto the balcony and speak with him.

"He loved to hear her talk, and he especially loved to hear her laugh. But one night, he found someone else there in his place."

Kaori gasped. "What happened, Otou-san? Did he punch him or kill him?" she said intently, little fists clenched.

"No, no," Naruto laughed. "The other man was a prince, too, and dressed neatly, and was the plain prince's very best friend. The neat prince stole the princess's heart."

"But… But that's… That can't happen…"

The blonde leaned in closer, eyes sparkling. "But I'm not done yet."

Kaori bolted upright, hands closing around his shirt. "And?" she whispered when Naruto didn't continue.

"Well, you see, the plain prince? He had loved the princess from the first time he set eyes on her. He wanted her happiness, even if it cost him his own, so he let her see the other prince. He came a few times after that, but she didn't want to talk for long.

"Soon, the princess felt confident enough to come out of her castle, and the plain prince saw that she was even more beautiful in the sunlight. Her hair sparkled, and her eyes were alive. The plain prince tried to talk to her, but she wanted to see the other prince, the one that actually looked like one."

Kaori's hands tightened, and she whispered, "Oh, no…"

Naruto nodded. "In town, everyone was happy that the princess had finally stepped out of her tower, but she couldn't see the one she was looking for. Finally, she found the neat prince outside of the town with someone else."

"I knew it! Otou-san, he broke her heart! He couldn't have!"

"He did," Naruto murmured gravely. He blinked and sighed, hurriedly arranging his thoughts. "She was heartbroken, and hurried back to her castle. She saw the plain prince standing near the entrance, and implored him to help her. The neat prince was leaving, and she wanted him to stay. So, the plain prince agreed to help. He tried to bring the neat prince back, but he didn't want to."

"He never loved the princess, did he?"

"No, he did…" Naruto said quietly. "I think he did. At least a little, in his own way. But he never did love her like the plain prince did. The plain prince was willing to sacrifice anything he had – even his life – if he could protect the princess or make her happy. The plain prince loved her unconditionally." His voice trailed off.

"But… But Otou-san! What happened?" Kaori asked urgently when Naruto failed to continue after a moment. "What happened to the plain prince and the princess?"

"Oh – uh… Right," the blonde floundered. "Anyway, the plain prince returned, beaten and bruised from his fight to bring back the neat prince. The princess was sad, but promised the plain prince that she would no longer sit idly in her tower. She would become confident – and strong.

"For two or three years the plain prince didn't see her again."

Kaori gasped. "But why not? He loved her!"

"Well, you see, he wanted to get stronger, too. He wanted to protect his princess so that nothing bad would happen to her again. And when they did meet again, she was even more beautiful to him. Her soul shined through her face, and she was happy to see that the plain prince had grown, too.

"Just after the plain prince had gotten back, he threw rocks at her window every night again. And just like before, she would come to the balcony and talk and laugh with him about things that had happened. Soon, the plain prince couldn't wait any longer. He faced her one night, climbing onto her balcony so he could be close to her. He told her that he really was a prince, and of his love and his patience, and how he swore from the day he had met her that he would never abandon her."

The girl's eyes were now wide as saucers, soaking in every word that Naruto said. Her hands were tight on his shirt, but he didn't mind. "And the princess said that it had always been him."

"But how? Hadn't she loved the neat prince?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. But she said that although she fell in love with the neat prince, she had been sad when the plain prince didn't come by anymore. She had been sad when he had sacrificed to bring back the neat prince. She said that he had always been there for her, and that – though her love for the plain prince had been slow – it was deeper than she could have ever imagined.

"And they lived happily ever after."

Kaori sighed with happiness, her whole body relaxing. Suddenly, she turned her head back to Naruto. "But wait! What happened to the neat prince?"

"Well," Naruto thought, "after a few more years, he returned, but he saw that he had missed his chance. He realized the treasure that he had given up had been more valuable than he could have imagined. Because when the plain prince had the princess to support and guide him, he could do anything."

"Arigatou, Otou-san!" Kaori said happily. "That was a good story!" But even as she said it, the excitement was dim in her voice, and she let out a large yawn.

Naruto laughed, but when he spoke, his voice was soft. "Time for bed little princess."

She smiled at that, and let Naruto tuck the sheets around her. "Otou-san?" she asked, her voice slowly fading.

"Hai?"

"Do you love Kaa-san?"

Naruto was surprised by her question, but sighed and mumbled quietly, "Of course. I always have."

Kaori smiled again, and although her voice was thick with sleepiness, her tone was certain. "Kaa-san loves you, too."

He blinked, staring at the small girl in the bed. Within a few moments, sleep overtook her. Finally, Naruto smiled, his hand gently touching her hair as her breathing steadied. She was so precious.

He hurriedly packed a few ninja tools before opening the door to head out. He wanted just a little bit of practice before he turned in for the night, and he knew Kaori would be safe in the room. He started to close the door, but he wasn't fast enough. A small, sleep-hazed voice floated through the doorway, and when the words hit him, it was as if something had torn a great hole in his chest.

"Otou-san… aishiteru."

It ached. He didn't even know why. But it ached when she said that, and he couldn't help the mixed feelings swirling inside of him. Confused didn't even begin to describe it, but the protectiveness soaring in his veins wasn't like any he had felt before. Wanting to protect Sakura because he wanted her as his was much different than feeling an intense _need_ to keep this girl safe. She was small, precious, and needed protection. He would give it to her.

But before he quietly shut the door, he murmured, "I love you too, Kaori." Then, he teleported quickly to an empty training field.

_You're lucky._

The blonde jumped, but Kyuubi simply shrugged, red eyes shadowed. _Nothing that hasn't happened to me before._

_Kyuubi…_

_What?_ the demon suddenly roared, eyes filled with red fire. _What do you want now?_

Naruto held up his hands in defense. _Whoa, I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to make you angry, or whatever you are right now!_

_Why? Is it because everyone fears that which is unknown and more powerful than they? Why is everyone so cruel and they think that we can't feel? Why can't anyone trust the soul of a person instead of their face? Why?_ he screamed.

_I…_ Naruto couldn't answer. He didn't know _how_ to answer. How could you, when you realized that all the demon trapped inside of you wanted was a family? When he wanted to be with the woman he loved and make something beautiful? He didn't have any answer for his tenant. He didn't know. There was nothing with which to answer those questions, and they would remain unanswered – just as they had for years after Emiko had been murdered.

_I'm sorry._ And it was all Naruto really could say. Because he was. He was so sorry that Kyuubi had been forced to live with such memories. He knew that if it were he, and it had been Sakura and his unborn child, he would feel the same way.

_So am I…_ Kyuubi was huddled in on himself.

The blonde nodded, knowing what he had to do. _Kyuubi, I need your help. I can see the formula on this kunai, but I need help applying it._

A small chuckle, and Naruto turned to see a grateful smile pulling the demon's lips back from his teeth. _Thanks, Twerp._

_Who says you always have to tell someone your problems?_ Naruto shrugged. _So? What do you think?_

For a moment, it felt as if his eyes were bleeding, but Naruto blinked back the sting, knowing his irises were merely turning red from Kyuubi's influence. The demon took his time looking over the kunai, going from the scrolls to the knife and back again. Finally, he shook his head, and his voice reflected something like awe.

_For a human he was a genius._

_What? What is it?_

_He figured out how to move his body. Look! See if you can see it, too!_

Naruto had no idea what in the world he was supposed to be looking for, but he stared at the parchment and kunai anyway, trying to analyze every step, every precise move that had to be taken. He could only catch bits, but what he saw made his eyes widen. Jutsu-shiki… Shunshin… Time… Space…

_It's like… I'm summoning myself… I think. I mean, this is Kuchiyose, but it's… reversed? How…?_

_Just look! Read it._

There were dozens and dozens of formulas, but they all pointed straight toward one, a reversed version of Kuchiyose. _There are seals woven into the formulas, but they don't have anything to do with shunshin. I thought it might, but it's… It's for space and time._

_What else?_

_Um…_ Naruto gasped. _No way…_

_Yes?_

_The Yondaime… He discovered different dimensions?_

Kyuubi nodded. _Like I said, for a human, he was damn smart. I guess it all worked out in the end._

Naruto glanced at the demon. _What are you talking about?_

_One of the moves that the Yondaime used to get close to me when we were fighting eighteen years ago was Hiraishin. I figured it was the highest level of shunshin, but I couldn't perform our demon version of it._ At Naruto's look, the demon sighed. _All demons can perform jutsu at this level with little to no problem. It's just a part of being a bijuu. If I had been in our human form, then I would have been able to. Our bodies are too large in our true forms to move through space._

_Human forms?_

The demon shrugged. _That is the hardest jutsu for all bijuu to perform. It takes many years to perfect it, but that doesn't matter. You need to figure out this jutsu. You can't perfect it right away of course, but you know Takai is coming, and you know Sasuke has been spotted in Amegakure._

_Right,_ Naruto murmured determinedly.

_So, what else do you notice about the Hiraishan? Besides dimensions._

_My body… I move my body through voids in space._ And suddenly, it clicked. _I get it! Since you move to a different dimension, the time continuum is different. And since it's a void of endless space, time has… wait… I don't think I get that part._

The demon chuckled. _No, you were on the right track. Time has no meaning because it doesn't exist in a void. Your body is already being summoned to a certain area that has been marked with the reversal seal, and summoning is already demanded at inhuman speeds – even the greatest ninja, or even the bijuu cannot move that fast by using speed enhanced by chakra. So by summoning yourself to a specific area, your body moves soundlessly through the void in space and contacts with the seal, allowing you to move faster than any ninja is able to detect. The void is merely a means to transport your body._

_So that's why Kakashi-sensei said that even the sharingan can't copy it._

_Yes. That and it is a forbidden technique._

_What?_ Naruto blinked in surprise. _Then why did sensei give this to me? Especially if it's forbidden…_

_What did you notice about the scrolls?_

_Um…_

_Haven't you noticed that your sensei has been away for a little while? From the time these scrolls have been imprinted with ink, they have never been opened. No one has ever looked at this jutsu except for you and its maker. And me, but it's not like I'm going to tell the world that they can just move their bodies through space._

The last bit made Naruto smile, but he couldn't believe it. He was holding one of his father's scrolls that had been used to seal the specifics of his ultimate and forbidden jutsu. He couldn't remember when he had last wanted to know his family history, and if they had possessed some special jutsu that belonged only to them. Now, he knew that his father was none other than the famous Yellow Flash of Konoha, and that he was now in charge of carrying on his father's legacy.

_Wait, there's something else…_ Naruto looked intensely at the paper. _It can be both specific and broad. Well, in a manner of speaking. Most of the time he attached the formula to kunai and used that to kill, but if he needed stock on a focused area, he would put the seal onto the ground and know others that might be there, just by the small pulses of chakra in the seal._

_He deserved to be a bijuu._

Naruto looked further down the scroll, and his voice was quiet when he spoke. _It's forbidden._

The demon sighed, irritated. _Yes, Twerp, we've established that. What's so bad about forbidden?_

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. _Well, that's what Rasenshuriken is. It's forbidden because not only does it damage my opponent, but it damages me, too. There must be something about this one that makes it dangerous – like if it isn't done right you can die._ The blonde narrowed his eyes. _I need to hurry and learn this. I need to practice it now._

Kyuubi eyed the blond shinobi, impressed by his temper and guts. He had more guts than most of the bijuu combined, and he wasn't even the smartest or most powerful ninja out there. There were others who would always be infinitely more cunning or even more powerful than the demon's host, but it was his determination that kept his body moving and helped him to win any fight in which he entered.

_Be careful, Twerp._

Naruto gave the scroll one last glance. _Of course, but I'm missing something. It's…_ His eyes stopped on a particular seal. It had nothing to do with the other contents of the scroll. It was a sealing technique, like one used for storing things, but a strange one that required blood. Naruto had never seen this seal before, but he had heard of a similar one. Even though one might be able to read the jutsu, a shinobi would have no idea how to work it. The seal could tell that it was for the intended person by the blood aided in its release, and it was detrimental to anyone else.

He wasn't sure what the seal unlocked, but if it had never been opened, and the Yondaime was his father, then maybe it would still work.

The jinchuuriki bit his finger, watching the blood slowly pulse from the thick cut. _I really hope I don't ruin all of this._ With the blood slowly trickling over his hand, Naruto formed the seals, and shut his eyes, yelling, "Kai!"

Smoke exploded from beneath his hand, and Naruto gritted his teeth, hoping his death wouldn't be too painful. When nothing happened, he slowly opened his eyes, new sensations tingling beneath his palm. It felt like cool steel, and when the smoke cleared, he gasped. _I've heard of these! Everyone has!_

There, sitting calmly in his open hand were five kunai. Each one had three prongs, and where the bandages wrapped around the handle, a faded seal was etched into the fabric. Somehow, the weight felt _right_.

_But Kyuubi, how am I supposed to do this jutsu? It doesn't require any chakra._

_True, but look closer. Aren't you missing something?_

_Well, I have the kunai, but… I don't see anything. Unless it's something to do with space… or whatever._

The sighed and shook his head.

_What?_ Naruto asked, his voice defensive as he looked at his tenant.

_Look at it! You have the kunai and the seals. It's a reverse summoning technique. What do you do when you want to summon Gamabunta?_

After looking at the parchment, Naruto looked back up at Kyuubi, each word punctuated like a question. _I use chakra?_

Kyuubi growled. _Pay attention, Twerp! I gave you an answer once. But you need to figure this out or else it will not be you continuing a family technique. You developed Rasengan and Rasenshuriken – and you perfected them on your own. Yes, Jiraiya, Kakashi and Yamato helped you, but they only gave you hints or helped to keep my chakra down. You did them on your own, and you need to do that now._

_I… I know._ Naruto ran a hand through his hair. _I was trying to help you, and then it all got so confusing… But I do understand._

_Then think about it! Look it over! I know you know the answer. You can do it. Just think about it._

Naruto nodded, again glancing at the scroll and the five kunai resting coolly in his hand. His mind turned Kyuubi's words over and over in his head, running through them: kunai, seals, summoning, no chakra. Then how was he supposed to get there without chakra? Summoning required chakra to pull the candidate through a dimensional void so they would go from one area to another.

Then…

_Wait! It does require chakra… but it doesn't make sense because it's _my_ chakra. My chakra is summoning me. That's how he did it. He could feel his chakra moving with the kunai, and pulled himself toward his stored chakra. He isn't actually using chakra, but the chakra in the kunai calls him to that spot and vice versa, so he slips through space._

A small smile lit the demon's face. _Anything else?_

_The kunai… The seal is faded._

_And?_

Everything about it seemed normal – except for the seals. There was no feel to them, just empty steel, as if they were hollow. Naruto's eyes widened. Hollow. _There's no chakra in them. The bits of chakra haven't been sealed into the kunai yet, and once it is, the seal will be black. Right?_

_I knew you weren't as dumb as you looked,_ Kyuubi laughed.

The blonde frowned, but ignored the demon and started working. The seals were simple enough. It reminded him of Asuma's wind enhanced weapons – only in these kunai, the chakra wasn't visible and wouldn't leak out. The seal would hold the chakra in the weapons, allowing Naruto to sense their location any time he wanted. It really was an amazing move.

_Kyuubi, do you think I should hide most of these kunai? Just in case?_ When the demon didn't answer, Naruto continued. _I mean, it is a forbidden jutsu, and if no one is supposed to know that it's gotten out, then…_

_I agree. When you aren't training, put them away._

Naruto nodded, placing the five kunai on the ground. There were more in the seal, he noticed, but he didn't need them – not for training at least. One by one he picked them up, inserting his chakra into the kunai and carefully performing the hands signs to seal the energy into the metal. Once it was done, he tested them, feeling the weight. It felt just like a regular kunai, but there was a difference. They were exclusively _his_; he could sense his chakra silently humming in the metal. If an enemy were to pick it up, they wouldn't even be able to detect the chakra, but since it was his, he could already feel it. It was a part of him.

He stood, his heart fluttering dangerously in his chest. He didn't want to get this wrong. He knew there could be dire consequences for practicing this jutsu without a medic nearby or just someone else to watch out for him. A feeling of cool chakra reached his senses. It was barely detectable, but he knew that chakra anywhere. The realization that Sakura was relatively close by relaxed him just a bit, but he still felt wary.

_You won't die, Twerp,_ Kyuubi reassured. _I'm here, too, so it's not like I'm going to let you randomly die because you didn't get something right._

_But what if my body gets severed by space?_

Kyuubi blinked. _Good point._

_What?_ Naruto yelled. _You're supposed to say that it can't happen!_

_Well, it can._

Naruto groaned. _Just what I need. And what a way to die! No honors, no nothing – I just died getting severed by a void in space that only the Yondaime knew about._

_Get over it, Twerp, and practice! _the demon growled. _A little bit of pain never stopped you before. Now get out there and work on it! Or do you plan to sit idly by and watch Takai steal Sakura for their own demented purposes?_

Kyuubi's words seemed to bring everything into focus, and Naruto gritted his teeth, opening his eyes to the night outside of his body. The demon was right. This was no time to panic. He hadn't cheated on any of his other jutsu, and he didn't need to now. So, he tested the kunai, letting it sit in his palm for a moment before he hooked his finger in the loop, twirled it a few times and threw it into the ground a few feet away.

He took a deep breath, shutting his eyes and letting his senses reach out. Part of a ninja's ability required him to use his chakra to test the area around him, so Naruto did the same, feeling a slight spark a few feet away. It seemed to hum with life, a testament to the chakra trapped inside of it, but he passed over the kunai, reaching out further to scan the rest of the field around him. Two birds. An owl.

_Wait_, Kyuubi whispered.

Naruto's eyes flew open, and he glanced to the left. _A fox?_

_Chisoku…_ the demon murmured.

_He can't mind his own business, huh? _Naruto scoffed. _I thought he didn't like me._

Kyuubi sighed. _Well, I think you garnered a bit of his respect. After all, you were able to fight him very well._ For another moment, the demon was silent. _Is he bothering you?_

_No… No he's okay. I'll ignore him. Do you think he suspects that I know he's there? He's keeping his chakra especially low._

_I think he knew you'd eventually figure it out. Just ignore him and concentrate._

The blonde nodded. _Right_. He put the summoning fox from his mind, focusing his chakra again and locating his kunai a few feet away. He felt its pulse, and the spark he had felt before was one of recognition. It was calling to him. So, he took a deep breath, letting his memory find the formula, aware of his mind wrapping its thought around the seals and slipping into nothing.

Suddenly, he felt the quick, almost invisible movement, as if he had stepped into a blank space faster than even a ninja could see. He could almost sense the shortened time, and he was doubled over, hands on his stomach as pain ached through every limb.

_What just happened?_ Naruto panted. _I… I didn't even… It just happened! I couldn't even tell what was going on…_ His voice trailed off as he felt warmth amidst the pain. He took his hands away, the skin as well as patches on his shirt soaked with blood. _Kyuubi…_

_I'm on it, kid,_ Kyuubi said grimly.

Red chakra sifted through his tenketsu, leaking toward the laceration across his stomach. _Just… Just seal it for now. I need to keep going,_ Naruto muttered breathlessly. The demon looked as if he were about to protest, but shut his mouth and nodded. Naruto gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms as they lengthened before retreating, and going back again. He didn't care that more blood was dripping down his fingers and into the grass.

Skin slicked together before the pain finally subsided. Naruto breathed a large sigh of relief, laying on the ground (how he had gotten here he didn't know) and letting his body rest a moment. _Damn it, Kyuubi. It felt as if you were sewing my skin together. It's never hurt that bad before._

The demon huffed. _You're welcome, Twerp. And you said to just seal it, so that's what I did._

_Che, well, thanks, fox._

_Yeah, yeah…_ but Naruto saw Kyuubi's lips quirked in a small smile.

With a loud grunt, Naruto heaved himself to his feet, staring at the kunai in front of him. He bent to pick it up, staring at the cold metal in his palm and sensing the chakra inside of it. A quick flick of his wrist and the kunai sliced through the air, landing in the ground a few feet away from the scrolls and other kunai spread around that area.

_Think it'll work this time?_

Kyuubi shrugged. _What do you think?_

_I don't know_. Since it seemed the demon didn't want to answer, Naruto repeated the process, stepping through space and feeling his chakra hum around the seals on the kunai. It was so quick, and he was on the ground again, the kunai resting calmly in between the trembling hands barely supporting him. _No wonder this jutsu is forbidden. This isn't going to work,_ Naruto muttered when Kyuubi finished healing another gash on his stomach.

_Listen, Twerp. I think I have an idea._

_Yeah?_

_What if you need faster movement? Sure, you can teleport, but – from what I remember when I was the only one listening to the lessons in your Academy – the Yondaime had a separate move, one that was just underneath this one. He didn't disappear amongst smoke; he just moved so fast that all you saw was a yellow blur. What if you need to be able to attain that level of speed, with your eyes and body used to it, you know?_

The blonde let the words sift through his brain. _I think you might have something, Kyuubi. There's nothing here about it, so…_ Suddenly, it made sense. _No wonder this jutsu wasn't as protected as it should have been! I bet you're right, Kyuubi, and without that faster movement, the user would simply die from the pain as well as bleeding to death._

Though the demon didn't answer, Naruto knew he didn't need to. It made perfect sense, and he needed the highest level of shunshin possible, but he wasn't sure how to even do it.

_Practice,_ Kyuubi suggested. _Use Chisoku to help you attain the speed tonight. We can stall the completion of performing Hiraishin for now._

_But, don't you think there's a certain way my father did it?_ My father. It sounded so strange coming from his mouth, and yet it was a pleasant sort of strange.

Kyuubi shrugged. _I don't know. But I know that if you continue to try this jutsu without higher movement, you _will_ be seriously hurt, and it might take a while for me to heal you._ The demon's eyes were serious, yet Naruto could tell that he wasn't entirely sure if simple speed would do the trick. But…

_Kyuubi… What are the levels of shunshin?_

The demon blinked, surprised, but chuckled softly. Smart kid. _There are three. Only the very elite ninja – and few at that – know there are technically three types. The most common is what young ninja or genin use. They move quickly, using chakra to aid in their speed. Chuunin use the second level. It's much faster, and they're just learning the basics of the third level, so it's a mixture of the two. The third level is the one that everyone knows about – well, the ninja and some civilians at least. It's the highest form of movement, and can be used as a distraction. You know that the user produces smoke to divert attention so it looks like they're teleporting. The reason why most ninja know it as shunshin is because it is the body flicker technique, and covers all forms of movement. But the third level is actually known as shunpo, or flash step. Chakra flows to your legs and feet to help you move especially fast, but no ninja knows that there is a fourth level – the actual shunshin. Bijuu are able to use this fourth type, and apparently, the Yondaime figured out there was a fourth as well. It is a true shunshin jutsu, using chakra throughout the body instead of just the feet and legs. It allows your body to maintain the speed, and is much more complicated than shunpo. Your eyes as well as the muscles in your entire body must get used to the quick movement._

_I had no idea… That's incredible._ No wonder so many people referred to the Yondaime as a genius. Sure, Naruto had heard that the man was incredibly smart, but he was just beginning to realize how smart. Naruto would have never been able to come up with any of this on his own, yet the Yondaime had found a dimension, discovered a fourth level of shunshin, and so many other things that even the elders didn't know about.

Naruto breathed in, preparing for the worst. The only way that he could really complete shunshin was to have somebody help him, and the only person (or thing) that was fast enough to do it was Chisoku. He was a summon fox, but he was also the fastest in the clan – or so he had said. Being small, he would be able to perform the speed required, and it was now or never.

"Chisoku?" Naruto's voice was apprehensive, but he wasn't facing the fox's position. He was angled in that direction, but he looked in the distance, his body language saying that he wasn't trying to pick a fight. "Chisoku?" he asked again, hoping the fox would appear.

Slowly, as if he were in trouble, Chisoku stepped from behind the tree. His red eyes regarded Naruto carefully, tail occasionally shifting. "How long?" he asked quietly.

"Just before I started practicing," Naruto said just as quietly.

The fox sighed. "I figured you would find out. I just…"

Suddenly, Naruto wanted the truth, and it seemed as if this were the right moment to ask. "Chisoku, why do you hate me so much? Why do you insist that I'm going to claim Sakura and that I'm nothing but a mindless vessel that Kyuubi can control at his every whim? Why?" When Chisoku looked away, his mouth tightening, Naruto felt his anger rise. "I saw you lick your lips when Sakura was petting you. I saw the look you gave her. It wasn't anything like the one you gave Hinata, and I know you were using your tongue for something." Sensing Chisoku's question, Naruto continued, eyes falling to the ground and his voice lowering. "Kyuubi won't tell me."

"Hm," was all Chisoku said, but at the moment, it was good enough for Naruto. He waited patiently, his old irritation at silence surfacing. He fidgeted, fighting to stay still, to wait, and his work was rewarded. Chisoku shifted. "I was testing the air."

"Na – Nani?"

The summon laughed quickly. "I'm no snake ("thank Kami," he murmured quietly), but foxes have a high sense of smell. It helps us to test the air, you know?"

Naruto was about to object, but Kyuubi's scoff interrupted him. _Ch, figures._

_What?_

_Think, Twerp. It's not that hard._

After a moment… "Ah! Teme! What the hell were you doing that for? Sakura's a kunoichi, not a damn fox!"

_Oi, oi! Careful with the insults, kid._

Chisoku shrugged. "So? I like her. She's a kind, competent ninja. I just wish that there was a female back home that was like her."

"I still don't get it," Naruto huffed. "Why all the crap about claiming Sakura when I have no intention _ever_ of doing that!"

"No intention?" Chisoku challenged, his deadly glare boring into Naruto's eyes. "I have sensed your reaction, jinchuuriki; don't lie to me!"

Naruto growled, knowing Chisoku was right. "I don't know what the hell you've smelled, but that hasn't been my intention at all. I would never take her against her will, you bastard."

"You lie!" Chisoku yelled. "That's how it happens! There's no way around it! Foxes mate for life, and any male will take a female no matter what she wants. That's just how it is, and you need to accept it!"

"Why the hell are you so insistent?" Naruto shouted, his eyes shifting between red and blue.

"Because it happened to me!" After that outburst, Chisoku was silent, his panting the only thing Naruto heard. The summon's eyes were wide – with what, Naruto couldn't quite tell. "I watched it tear my mother apart! And for some reason, my father couldn't stand the sight of her – he just wanted as many sons as possible. When I was the only son in a litter of five pups, he moved on. He stayed with her because four of her six pups were boys. My mother loved him, and he always – _always_ – stayed away from her. And she loved him until she died, even though he was the scum of Randosune."

"Oh." It was all Naruto could say.

"Besides," Chisoku muttered angrily, "all jinchuuriki wish to use their tenants to scare their opponents, to use the simple access of power and crush everyone that they face."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Then you haven't met very many jinchuuriki."

The fox's gaze snapped to the blonde, and the summon had a manic expression in his eyes. "I've witnessed seven of them fight when Akatsuki took them, and all used their power to drown out their opponents, but they ended up getting themselves killed. Only one used his powers to protect, and he was the Kazekage of Suna."

Naruto hadn't been expecting that, and the memories of his old friend flooded through his mind. "Gaara," he whispered.

"Oh? You know him?"

"I helped save his life – because his was worth living. You don't understand what it's like to be a jinchuuriki, you damn fox. You don't know the loneliness of knowing that everyone around you hates you because of what you harbor – they have no interest in knowing that you are a real person that feels. They want you dead, and you don't know what it's like to live with that every day." Naruto stared at the fox intently. "You told me that my friends didn't touch me. I didn't say that most ninja never touch each other. Only Sakura and Ino use touch – especially when it's to correct their teammates. Others use it occasionally, but you know what fox? I'm tired of you underestimating me. I fought you. You know I'm good enough. All I'm asking is that you respect me because goddammit, I need your help! I _need_ to protect Sakura. Takai is after her and they will _kill her_ for her chakra, and I will _not_ let that happen!"

He was breathing heavily, but he needed this. He needed that dumb summoning fox to realize that he needed to protect those he cared about. He had shunned them long enough; now was the time to prove that how much they meant to him, and how far he would go to protect them. Especially Sakura. Especially her. He loved her so much it ached, and he knew that even though he had denied it for so long, she was still the reason he tried so hard to live.

For a long time, Chisoku and Naruto stared at each other, and he felt the familiar power humming through his veins. His vision sharpened and returned to normal, repeating the process a few times. Naruto hid his surprise, but smiled inwardly. Kyuubi was backing him up.

_Thanks._

The demon nodded in affirmation, and after a while, Chisoku finally sighed. "Fine. I'll help. But I won't say that I respect you yet, jinchuuriki."

Naruto growled. "The first thing you can do is call me by my name." His voice was low and rough from Kyuubi's influence.

Another minute of staring, and Chisoku blinked. "So, Uzumaki, what is it that I'm supposed to do?"

The blonde smiled.

Three hours later, Chisoku and Naruto lay on the ground, both completely spent of chakra. But Naruto had a smile on his face. He had mastered his chakra. He had mastered the art of the fourth level of shunshin, and it felt great. It had taken a while for his tiring muscles to strengthen as his chakra recognized the need for faster speed. Chisoku had been chasing him for the better half of three hours, tearing up his back if he didn't move fast enough – which was the majority of the time. It had taken his eyes the longest to acclimate to the faster speed. He wasn't used to looking at things that moved so fast, but he had it now. He still needed to work on it, to make sure that his muscles didn't forget the workout they had had tonight.

"Uzu–maki Naruto," Chisoku panted, laying on his side and turning his red eyes on Naruto. "The entire time, it was your chakra you used, and although I knew Kyuubi was there, you were never tempted. You… You have my respect – my full respect."

Naruto laughed softly. "Truce? I don't like fighting you, Chisoku. I'd rather be your ally."

"Yeah…" The fox laughed a bit, too, then sighed heavily. "Our summon lord will no doubt have his own test for you should you wish to pursue a contract with us foxes, but I know you'll pass it." Chisoku let a small smile light his face, and Naruto stared at the summon.

"Thanks."

After a moment, Chisoku slowly stood. "I'm going to go now, if it's all right."

The blonde tried to sit up, but the scratches bleeding on his back shot pain through his body. Still, he tried. "You sure you don't need a medic? Sakura is just over there…"

Chisoku shook his head. "No. I'm not hurt; my chakra is simply depleted. I just need to rest and I'll be fine. Demo, I appreciate it… Uzumaki Naruto." In a few moments, the fox was gone, vanishing in the darkness of the forest, and Naruto couldn't help but let his smile widen.

_It's just like the old times, isn't it? Sakura was right._

_Hmm?_ Kyuubi asked. _Right about what?_

_My pendant. She gave it to me for my birthday, and she said I had great magic. Looks like I can still earn someone's respect – the _right_ way. Not like I have been with intimidation, but with perseverance. That's how it should be._ His face was still split in a smile, and he didn't want to move from his spot on the ground. It was nice, and he was exhausted, but he felt more than happy with his progress.

_Twerp,_ Kyuubi sighed, _not to disrupt your happy moment, but you're bleeding all over the ground._

_Eh? Oh, right,_ Naruto said softly. _Sakura's just over there._

The demon stepped back, eyes narrowed. _Che, so what am I? Chopped liver?_ When Naruto opened his mouth, Kyuubi held up a paw. _Nevermind. Don't answer that._

The blonde laughed. _Nothing personal, Kyuubi. It's just that I would like to see her tonight, you know? Just the two of us. I think it'll be nice. It's been a while since there hasn't been something in between us, and I want to take advantage of that._

Kyuubi sighed, closing his eyes. _I understand. But she isn't going to be happy that you'll be visiting her with scratches all over your body._ The demon had known Emiko's temper, and he knew that Sakura shared the same personality. It had happened to him once… It was a good memory, one that Kyuubi cherished.

_We'll still be all right._ Naruto heaved himself off of the ground, his limbs shaking with overuse and chakra deprivation. _Ne, Kyuubi? Think you can help me walk?_

The fox ruefully shook his head, but gently sent his chakra through Naruto's system, trying not to shock his jailer's chakra coils too much. Naruto leaned on the strength, using it to slowly move his feet toward the woman not too far from him. It wasn't necessarily a long trip – just an extremely tedious one. It should have taken him only five minutes to get there, but it took him twenty to carefully traverse the space between him and his teammate.

_Dammit,_ Naruto muttered. The blood was beginning to slip down his legs, and his vision was becoming foggier. Kyuubi had sealed a few of the scratches, but stopped after a bit. It seemed to make the pain worse and the progress slower. Naruto needed chakra, and healing, but Kyuubi knew that if he tried to do it, and Naruto was still conscious and in this condition, the effects would not be pleasant. It would be extremely painful, especially since the boy was completely devoid of chakra.

_Almost there, Kyuubi… Almost…_ Then he paused. There she was – crouching on the bank of a lake, arms in front of her so he couldn't see them. His breath suddenly caught as he saw what she was wearing, and the pain seemed to disappear from his body because he was looking at the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Moonlight glinted off skin that shone like fine porcelain, and sweat formed a light, iridescent sheen over her bare back. He wasn't sure how she could look even more beautiful than he already thought she did, but she was.

_Just a bit more_, he grunted, forcing his legs to work. Pain had escaped his body for now but his muscles refused to work properly. _Come on!_ he yelled to himself, pushing forward until he was fairly close behind her. He was about to address her (with his body so close to failing it was impossible to speak loudly), when he noticed her back was stiff, and there was a slight green glow in front of her.

His eyes widened, his mind shouting at him to move. At the last moment, he did. Her hand shot to the ground, and the first thing he noticed was that it wasn't her ordinary chakra punch. Something whipped up the soil so it looked as if a multi-bladed machete of some sort had hacked through it. The next thing he saw was that both of her hands were trembling fiercely, and that bright red liquid flowed from her wrist to her elbow and onto the grass. What had happened?

Her eyes were wide with relief. "Oh," she murmured shakily. "It's just you, Naruto. Thought… it was someone else."

"Sa – Sakura-chan?" he muttered in surprise. "Your hands… What happened?"

She laughed a bit, but he couldn't see what was funny. With a sudden gasp of pain she slipped to her knees, right hand immediately grabbing hold of her left arm. She bent over in pain, and soon, light green chakra encased her hand, the faint sound of skin sizzling together reaching his ears.

Finally, she muttered breathlessly, "Just a jutsu I've been working on."

"Really?"

Sakura nodded quickly before her eyes roved over his form. "Naruto, what are you doing here? Didn't you put Kaori to bed a little while ago?"

"It's… It's been three hours since then." He blinked in confusion.

"What?" she cried, wincing as something seemed to pain her again. She refused to make a sound as her right hand burned. "No wonder I…" She gasped when her eyes finally seemed to take in his appearance. It was his turn to gasp when she put her hand on his stomach and took it away, looking at the coppery liquid sticking to her palm. "What the hell have you been doing?"

"Ah…" he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I was training, you see, and it just so happened that—"

Sakura shook her head, looking toward the ground. "Naruto, how did you get so cut up?" Her eyes were looking at the blood trickling down his legs, and he saw her brows furrow as her hand once again touched his stomach. He was glad she was too preoccupied to see him blush.

"You're completely out of chakra and you've lost a lot of blood – too much for my liking," she murmured, voice low and disappointed. "Sit down. Why hasn't Kyuubi healed you to stop the bleeding?" she asked fiercely.

He couldn't quite feel anything anymore – whether it was from Sakura's presence or the fact that his body was going numb from pain and blood loss, he didn't know. He was just relaying the information Kyuubi gave him to Sakura. "Kyuubi said that my tenketsu were already reacting badly because my chakra was gone, and he'd make it worse if he tried to push his chakra through. Plus, I'd be in even more pain and possibly go unconscio — Ah! Sakura, what are you doing?"

Pale hands were working the hem of his shirt so it would be discarded from his body. He wouldn't have noticed it all, but it seemed that his body wasn't as numb as he had originally thought. The shivers trembling over his stomach had sent warning signals firing off in his head, and even though Sakura was being completely proficient in needing to see injuries and had no thought of checking him out, it still didn't deter his mind from thinking that she could be doing it for a different reason entirely.

"Naruto…"

This time, his entire body reacted. The way she said his name was _very_ different from the brusque, analytical voice she used when treating patients. Her voice had softened, and he dared not look at her face, afraid of what he might see. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her eyes. He was afraid that if he saw them, he would lose control, and his body had been aching to feel her, to kiss her, to touch her ever since that first time in the rain.

He couldn't help it. Blue met green, and he sucked in a breath at what he saw. Her eyes were hooded, her hair blocking them from most of the moon's light, but he could still see the hesitation and the desire in their depths. This time, he let his gaze shift over her body, taking in her soft, creamy shoulders and the bandages over her chest that seemed to reveal more than they covered. Water mixed with sweat trickled from her neck and disappeared in the bandages, only for his eyes to catch another bead on her damp stomach. Her shorts were still short, but the bareness of her feet and the water that glinted on her legs seemed to make her look beautiful, ethereal.

"Take off your shirt, Naruto," she whispered, hands still fingering the hem of his shirt. He nodded silently, pain forgotten until he had to stretch to get the fabric sticking to his back over his head. He grimaced, and she inhaled quickly, the sudden tension between them receding. However, it didn't disappear completely.

"Quickly," she murmured, a new tone in her voice, one laced with worry. But even as she said it, her hands flew to help him, carefully pulling it over his head. She was mumbling something about blood, and he felt her anger skyrocket as her eyes finally saw the gashes oozing on his back.

He winced. "I was training—"

"I heard," she interrupted. He could almost feel the steel coating her voice ring in his ears. He really didn't want to make her any angrier than she already was. So, he had to think fast, and the truth was his best shot.

"I was working on Hiraishin."

"Oh," was all she said, and he quickly glanced over his shoulder. She turned his head away, placing both palms on his back as chakra pooled over his skin. He couldn't contain the shiver that tingled down his spine. "What happened?" she pressed, carefully spreading her chakra through his wounds. The chill felt refreshing, and the tension was leaving his muscles, giving way to the exhaustion that overwhelmed him. He hunched forward, a pained sigh escaping his lips. He felt her chakra tighten.

"It's okay," he said quietly. "I'm just tired. I've been training for a while."

She nodded, but he sensed her worry like it was tangible. "Just tell me what happened, bakanaro," she murmured. Her palms moved again, and his head fell forward as he shut his lips before his voice could betray him. God, what this kunoichi could do to him.

"I was working on Hiraishin," he repeated. "It kept… tearing me up." The exhaustion was clear in his voice. "So I just had Kyuubi seal these so they didn't bleed all over the place. Turns out I didn't have enough speed to help me detect the movement of Hiraishin, so I had Chisoku help me."

Sakura growled. "What did he do? I swear if he intentionally hurt you…" Her chakra felt just a bit sharper.

"No, no," he laughed quietly. Cool chakra swirled through his muscles, but it started to decrease. He tried to turn, to protest, realizing she was running out of chakra.

"Sorry," Sakura muttered, pushing herself further and making him sit still. "I'm fine. I need to heal you. I'll survive." He nodded slowly, and this time, her voice was softer and less strained. "Continue."

"I found out that Chisoku had been watching me, so I asked him to help. He chased me around until I finally got the speed down. It's the level of speed needed to be able to see through Hiraishin, and seems to be part of the reason that my father got the nickname Yellow Flash."

"And Chisoku chased you, the cuts motivating you to move faster," she whispered.

He smiled a bit. She was still just as smart as ever. "Yeah…"

"Bakanaro. Why would you do such a thing?" Her voice was low, and her hands shifted again, sending sensations shuddering through his body. He closed his eyes, letting his other senses reach out, feeling her move around him until she was kneeling in front of him. He expected her hand to touch him, but he still couldn't control his reaction. Her fingers were soft on his skin.

_Kyuubi, I swear she'll kill me one day._

The demon chuckled. _I'm sure it's no more than you do to her._

_Do you think she knows what she does to me? I mean, I feel so… so… impulsive. I feel like I can't control anything I do when I'm around her. I just… react._

_Get used to it, Twerp,_ Kyuubi laughed. _I had to get used to it, too, and believe me, kid, it was a lot harder on me. I'm king of all bijuu, and I was reduced to a melting pile of demon flesh when Emiko was involved._

Naruto raised his eyebrows. For Kyuubi to admit that to his host of all people… The demon scoffed, rolling his eyes at Naruto's apparent lack of tact. _I'm just trying to help you, kid. It's not like it's going to get any easier. She's going to do something and you won't be able to do a thing about it. You'll be wrapped around her finger._

The blonde wanted to tease the fox, but the tone of his tenant was different, like Kyuubi didn't mind the fact that he had been wrapped around Emiko's finger. And Naruto didn't blame him. He had seen the demon's memories of her, and she had been very pretty. Of course, before the thought had even left his mind, Kyuubi was already speaking it for him.

_Well, I'm sure you wouldn't mind being wrapped around Sakura's finger._

_Well… er…_ Naruto laughed nervously, but his body suddenly jolted him back to the present. Wounds were healed, yet he still felt Sakura's hands over his stomach. He looked down at her as she brought her gaze up. The desire was in her eyes, and he searched her face, afraid to move ahead, watching her apprehensively. She seemed to gaze at him for forever, gauging his reaction as well. He couldn't help it. His gaze travelled down her body instinctively, soaking in the image as if it were the last time he'd get to see her. His eyes burned at the sight of her, and the lust swirled in his veins, blazing through his arms and chest until he felt it simmer in his gut. She blushed, the color matching the cherry of her lips.

His breath caught when he saw her gaze flick from his eyes to his mouth as she slowly leaned forward. A groan rumbled in his throat as his reaction stretched against his pants. He looked at her, gulping, eyes frantic, wanting to touch her yet afraid to at the same time. When her mouth was an inch from his, she stopped, eyes lidded and dark with lust. She was waiting for him.

"Sakura, I…" he started to whisper, but she didn't let him. Everything was so confusing, and he jumped when something grazed over his groin.

"Hush…" she interrupted, and he whimpered. The pleasure was coiled too tightly, but he was fighting, hoping she would release him from the lust that seemed to be burning everything inside of him. But when her breath ghosted over his lips, his resistance crumbled. The only thing that kept him sane was how small she looked, how soft her skin glowed in the moonlight. He _had_ to be careful with her, no matter how rough he wanted to be. So, his hands gently caressed her cheeks as he leaned in the final inch. Her mouth spread over his, and she was the one being rough with him. Skin tingled where her fingertips touched as they played with his messy hair, and he ached to have her closer.

She let out a small gasp when his fingers found her neck, opening her further as her hands clutched his shirt. Neither had said anything, but he knew that she had been worried about his injuries. Her concern was etched into this kiss, and it was more of an affirmation that both parties were unhurt. It was a sudden need to know he was all right, and he knew that he had worried her greatly.

"It could have been fatal, you know," she whispered, as if she had read his thoughts. She closed her mouth over his again as one of his hands found her waist and scooted her closer. Her hands, however, weren't still. Her fingers were icy trails as they searched his abdomen, moving up to his shoulders and back down. He gripped her hips with crushing force when her right hand found his groin again.

"You know Kyuubi would have taken care of me. It's not like he wants to die," Naruto said softly when they broke for a moment. He crushed her back to him, worried that she would run away, that something about him would scare her off. It was him after all. Yet here they were, bound by the connection of their lips and bodies, and there wasn't anything in this world he wouldn't give if it meant that she would be by his side.

_You don't realize it yet, kid, but she will be. She will be._

Kyuubi's statement heightened his desperation, pushing his lust for Sakura to overload as her fingertips traced down his arms before resting on his stomach where the Yondaime's seal was visible. She swirled a finger around it, and he couldn't help the breathless moan that escaped his lips. He felt her smile.

"I know. I was worried all the same. You aren't indestructible."

As much as he wanted to disagree, he knew it was true. So, he held her closer, lips moving to her throat. "But I'm here. I'm okay. We'll be fine." He felt her nod as she gasped, back suddenly arching into him and bringing them closer. He nipped her pulse again, and her hands tightened on his shoulders so much it was almost painful. He could feel the burning inside of him as if Kyuubi were lending him chakra, and he wanted to know how it was possible that she could get such a reaction from him. For three years he had practiced and perfected his own control, and with a single touch, a single kiss, she could negate it all.

His hands gripped her sides, suddenly warring with the control inside of his head. Her soft moans were tantalizing him, fueling the side of him that wanted to kiss her everywhere, to feel her, to be inside her. At the thought, he hardened even more, the need becoming a thirst that only Sakura could quench. He wanted so much to show her that he would be good for her – someone that would take care of her and be able to show her… Suddenly, Chisoku's voice flitted through his head, and Kyuubi followed the thought with a solemn statement.

_I know how you think, Twerp, and you would hate yourself for it._

The demon was right. Naruto fought, his hands shaking from the effort, but he pulled back just enough, exerted enough dominance over the lust so he was able to clear his mind from Sakura's scent. When he met her eyes, they were clouded in hazy emerald, but she looked like she couldn't decide whether she was thankful or disappointed that he had pulled away. Either way, neither could not stop panting.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Sakura," he murmured.

"Shh…" She placed a finger over his mouth, but looked him straight in the eye. "Don't apologize. I was worried, too, but… I know you're okay. I just…" She clenched her teeth as tears began to form in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. So maybe he hadn't realized…

"It was that bad?"

She nodded gravely. "I've never seen anyone that chakra depleted. You should have been dead, or at least unconscious, and any normal ninja would have been going into shock." She was shaking he realized, and it suddenly hit him.

"You transferred your chakra to me? That could have killed you, too! I knew you were already low on chakra…"

"Because if I didn't give you my chakra you would have gone unconscious!" she cried. Her hands tightened into fists on his shoulders. "Do you know what it does to me when I see you like that? Naruto, I can't bear it! It reminds me of so long ago when you were bandaged and could barely stand… Or on that A-rank mission we did and one of the rogue ninja stabbed you with poison and I was afraid I wouldn't get you the antidote on time. Naruto, I _hate_ it." Her last sentence was a whisper.

He sighed, now fully aware of what had been happening. He remembered the foggy vision, his muscles cramping up as if they were going into shock, his body numb of all pain he could have felt.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again," she said, making sure to catch his eyes.

"I'm won't, Sakura-chan."

She blushed and smiled a bit, then stood to her feet, going to gather her clothes. When she reached for them with her left hand, she suddenly froze, gasping in pain as she fell to her knees. "Sakura!" he cried, rushing over and catching her before she fell back. Her left hand was clenched into a fist, and fresh blood was slowly trickling out of the gash. It was healed in parts but open in others, and his eyes widened. He had been wrong initially. This cut spread from the top of her left forefinger to the middle of her forearm – a deadly cut for anyone to sustain.

"Use my chakra, Sakura. Heal it," he insisted. He hated seeing her in pain. She looked at him sharply.

"Naruto, you're already out of chakra! I'm not doing that. I have salve and bandages in a scroll in the room; I'll take care of it there." There was no arguing. Her voice rang with authority that he didn't dare question.

"All right," he conceded. "But I'm carrying you."

"What—"

Without warning, Naruto lifted her from the ground, and she clutched her clothes to her as Naruto's hands found her soft shoulder as well as her still damp thighs. All of his previous desires returned, his body heating in embarrassment as well as arousal. He let his eyes glance at her legs for a moment and gulped, fighting the urge to keep his hand from riding higher. Sakura helped.

"Uzumaki Naruto – you put your hand _any_ farther up my legs and I will pummel you; I don't care how chakra deprived I am!"

He looked into her fierce jade eyes and nodded. He believed her. Dear Kami he believed her. "I… I'm sorry. Really. You just look… I mean, it's hard to… I just…" Cheeks flushed in embarrassment over his flustered words, because she really did look beautiful, no matter what. He didn't care if there were other kunoichi that most shinobi considered beautiful. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and it would stay that way.

Upon hearing him stutter between the truth and an excuse, her anger seemed to deflate. "Oh… Well, it's okay, just… Just don't do it without – my permission." He raised his eyebrows at her, and she looked shocked at her words as well. A pretty blush spread over her pale cheeks, and he smiled to himself as he continued to walk back to the Academy.

For the duration of the trip, tension grew. Sakura kept her head turned away from him, her face constantly flushed since he occasionally needed to shift his hold on her so she wouldn't fall. His strength was waning, but he pressed on, determined to get her back to the Academy without a hitch. Though it was slow, the bleeding on her arm had already dripped onto his torso and shorts. Despite that, his mind had other things it wanted to think about, and his heart was stuck in his throat.

In all honesty, he couldn't believe how may times he had dreamed of the slender, fit legs resting in his hands. He had it on good authority that Yamato had often thought of her legs as well. The ANBU had accidentally admitted it when he, Kakashi, and Naruto had gone out for a drink. Kakashi, being drunk as well, had admitted that while he was more of an ass man himself, he definitely admired Sakura's legs. Both had ventured that her entire body structure was not one to miss, and that her ass and legs were probably the finest points of her body. Naruto had seethed quietly, hiding the jealousy with a mask of indifference. That had been the hardest thing to do in his entire life.

Then, of course, they had turned to him, cheeks flushed with intoxication to ask him what his favorite part about their female teammate was. Naruto did not want to admit that he agreed with them wholeheartedly, partially because he wanted them to stop talking about her ass and legs, and partially because he did not _ever_ want Sakura to find out. So, he had simply mumbled "All of her," and it had had the desired affect. They left him alone and continued on the rant that no kunoichi, from the Rookie Nine, or even many of the ANBU and jounin ranks, could beat Sakura in a legs and ass contest.

Despite that, he had never really wanted to know what "type" of guy he was. From all the times his friends had managed to get him to go for a night out (in which all of them got drunk except for Shikamaru and the occasional times that Shino or Neji would come), Naruto had found out so many things that he did not want to know about his comrades. Kiba was definitely a boobs guy, and go figure. He did fancy Hinata after all. Chouji was, strangely enough, a waist guy, and he was particularly fond of Ino's. Not that the girl attempted her hide her tiny waist. Lee, of course, wasn't allowed to get drunk, but he accidentally let slip that he thought Tenten's legs were very nice and that her chest had a very "youthful bounce" to it. (Naruto still shuddered at the thought.) Shino confessed that arms were his thing, since they were the most common place for the bugs to enter the body. That in itself was disturbing, until the one and only time that Neji ever drank too much. Apparently, Neji had harbored feelings for too long because when the alcohol worked its magic, he couldn't stop talking about Tenten's ass. Nor her legs, it seemed. He commented on their exact proportion and how amazing they were, and didn't even see that she was standing right behind him until it was too late. It was safe to say, however, that after the kunoichi beat him senseless for talking about such things in public, the two were now steady.

But the time that the male teammates and their sensei went out together was the worst in his book. _Everyone_ got drunk, and while he and Shikamaru were tipsy themselves, it put them in a nice buzz so that they agreed with anything anyone said. Gai and Lee were absent that night because it would be too tempting for them to drink, but it was hardly a night Naruto could forget. Shino got drunk for once (which happened to be the same night Neji had gotten drunk), and had flirted with Kurenai about her arms that would be very nice for hosting bugs. Asuma had mentioned that while he agreed with Chouji about Ino's waist, he liked her ass quite a bit more. A small fight ensued between Kurenai and Asuma, but all was well soon and they moved to the dance floor to grind their hips to the music. Kiba hung all over Naruto and got him to dance with another girl, and Shikamaru was gazing at the ceiling saying how much it looked like a pretty kunoichi with four pigtails.

Needless to say that Naruto did _not_ mean to blurt out what he had, but thankfully, Shikamaru was the only one to hear him. When he and the lazy jounin took a break to drink at the bar, Shikamaru had said that while Temari's best aspect was definitely her neck, he was very fond of her legs as well. And Naruto? Well, he had to blurt that he was glad Sakura's breasts were small because they would fit perfectly in his hands. Shikamaru had looked at him as if he said he wanted to skydive off a cliff in nothing but his boxers. But now, from the bandages barely covering her chest, he could definitely tell that her breasts _were_ a perfect fit.

_Damn it!_ he muttered. Of all times, his libido just had to spike at this moment, and he sincerely hoped that Sakura could not feel anything below his waist. He needed to shift his hands again, and the temptation this time was simply too strong. His fingers glided just a bit over the soft skin of Sakura's thighs. He kept a careful watch on jade eyes that rolled into the back of her head, and if his hearing hadn't been heightened, he would have missed her little, breathless moan. Kami this woman could drive him crazy.

He was almost relieved when the Academy was in sight. His steps came just a bit faster, and he hurried up the stairs. He needed to take care of his problem quickly, because if he didn't, he knew his control would break soon, and the part of him that wanted make love to her told him that Sakura wouldn't quite complain. He set her gently on the bed, and tried to go to the bathroom, but Sakura grabbed onto his sleeve, a grimace breaking over his face before he turned to her.

"Naruto… help me?"

The words seemed to mean something else entirely, but maybe that was just where his thoughts were at the moment. He nodded slowly, hoping she didn't see the growing problem in his pants. One of her scrolls sat in the far corner on top of the desk, so he grabbed that one, letting her release the salve and bandages from its depths. She handed it to him, carefully holding out her arm.

"This may sting a bit," he murmured.

She nodded again, but her voice was determined. "I know. I can handle it."

Wordlessly, he gently applied the salve, trying not to think about how soft her skin was as his fingertips slipped up and down her smooth forearm. He could have sworn she was panting slightly, but he didn't dare act on it. He had gotten three kisses out of Sakura so far without getting pummeled, and he wanted to keep it that way. Though something was definitely happening between them, he was afraid to say anything. He didn't want her to go away.

Just as carefully, Naruto wrapped the bandages around her arm, and once, he knew he saw her shudder. He almost smiled at the thought, and it made him happy to know that he was probably doing the same things to her that she was doing to him. When he finished, the silence was thick and heavy.

"Naruto?" she whispered, eyes wide and staring at him with wonder. "What the hell are you doing to me?" The question seemed more pointed at herself than it did him, but words seemed to be choking him. If he didn't get them out, he might never find another chance. That was when she suddenly seemed to realize what she had just said. "I need to change. I'll be right back," she muttered quickly, grabbing the grey t-shirt and pants before hurrying into the bathroom. He sighed, defeated.

He changed as well, moving to the bed and letting his head rest against the pillow. When she came back out, he would tell her. He had to. It was the only way that this strangeness between them could be worked out. He needed to admit to himself that before, he had been afraid. He had been afraid _of_ her and _for_ her, wondering if it was all just a dream and he would wake up back to where it had been before.

She stepped out of the bathroom and over to the bed, carefully sitting next to him and nervously tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He touched her shoulder, earning a surprised gasp as he turned her towards him. His eyes were pained, because he knew this was huge for both of them.

"What is it, Naruto?" she said quietly.

He had to answer. If he didn't, he could lose her forever, and that thought suddenly expanded his courage. "Sakura, I…" He nervously grabbed her hands and fiddled with her fingers for a moment, the heat and intensity of her stare sending chills over his body. "Sakura, I — I want you to be… I want us… to be _us_. I want — I want you. As mine," he added softly. His eyes found the bed sheet, and when she didn't answer, he pressed on, afraid of her rejection. "I know you still like Sasuke, but I'm so confused, and I don't know what to do, but I'll take care of you, and—"

His tirade was halted by a soft, pale finger. "Bakanaro," she whispered. "I haven't liked Sasuke like that for a while."

For the first time, his eyes were shadowed with hope. "Then… Then does that mean…?"

She smiled, using her weight to lay them both down. Her head rested on his chest, and her hand found his stomach, her fingers moving in gentle circles. "Of course, Naruto," she laughed softly. "Now shut up and hold me. I'm tired."

There was no malice in her voice, and he could feel the smile on her face. He couldn't describe the pleasure he felt at being the one to make her smile, to hold her. The happiness inside of him seemed to well up until it felt like a great tidal wave that he couldn't contain. He let his arms encircle her and hold her close, and she let him, a contented sigh flitting through her lips.

"I missed you, Naruto. I missed you."

Her voice had been almost too soft to hear, but he had caught it and understood. He knew what she meant. "I've missed you, too, Sakura," he whispered, allowing himself the luxury of giving her a small kiss on her forehead. Her smile widened, and she curled into him further as he shut his eyes, his lips creaking into a smile.

Maybe telling bedtime stories really was a good idea.

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**A/N:** Awww! Some adorable Naruto and Kaori and NaruSaku times! Plus, new developments on Takai and various techniques! I am pretty happy with this chapter! I was originally planning not to make them get together, but the more this chapter unfolded, the more I kenw that even though they're Naruto and Sakura, they wouldn't hold out too much longer. So there we go! And sorry about that, supercandy-chan!

But ugh, do NOT ask me why I had the urge to have Hinata ask to pet Chisoku. I know, _totally_ unlike her, but she wasn't doing anything, and I had to have her do something! I mean, I know she's usually quiet and sits in the background but I wanted her to have a relatively significant part in this chapter… Since she normally doesn't do much…

And I cannot believe how long this chapter is. Omg. Incredible. **It is 47 pages**. I mean, I could have ended it at 34 pages, but I wanted to finish what I had planned for this chapter, so I did. Plus, this whole chapter only spanned one night, and I didn't want to separate it since it might be confusing in the next chapter. But can you believe it? I can't! Longest chapter I've ever written by far!

And in case you were wondering: Shuhan means Leader. Sorry that when I was describing the levels of shunshin I didn't have names for the previous two. I found many sites that would translate the words I wanted, but they were all in kanji, and I can't read kanji. Wish I could, but I can't. So, I'm sorry!

Thanks again, everyone, and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did when writing it!

- wolf's paradise


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hello my wonderful readers! Sorry it took so long. I have been working on two of my other stories' chapters as well, so since this chapter had no problem being written, I postponed its development for a while; then just a few days ago my car caught on fire and I was stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. So yeah, that's why this is late. Anyway, I'm not sure why I'm so excited about this chapter, but I think this one is hilarious. Some parts I think are bit awkward, but other than that I really like this chapter.

Now, I'm glad my writing is getting better, but this will be the second chapter I have written that is longer than 30 pages, and with where I am going it will probably be over 40. There's nothing wrong with long chapters, it's just very tiresome writing it all out and realizing that the chapter is sooooo long.

**And I have a new proposal to make**. I recently posted a new story, but it's just something completely for fun that doesn't take too much time at all. What I'm doing is getting a whole bunch of my favorite movies and putting the Naruto characters in the movie characters' places. It's great fun, but I am afraid I broke some of the rules here by posting it. So, I was wondering if you guys would think it cool if I added a movie that I had cast with Naruto characters to the end of every one or so chapter of LITR. I'm torn on whether to keep the "story" up or not. I really don't care if it gets deleted. It's not something immensely important to me, and if you guys like what I did with the movies, I'll just add them to the end of LITR's chapters. Anyway, just wanted your guys' opinions.

Enjoy the newest chapter of _Lost in the Rain_!

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Chapter Eighteen

No one could doubt that he was amazing. And scary, as most would say, but then again, fear was entirely necessary – most times. People had to know that he was able to kill them without hesitation and in less than a second, because after all, he was an Uchiha prodigy. Yet it seemed to make the worst kind of loyalty ever, he had noticed. Ruling by fear did make loyalty, but any loyalty was feeble and short-lived. Eventually, that fear drove them to search out those that were stronger and could help them defeat the tyrannical rulers.

It was something he didn't quite like to remember – most of his memories were like that – but it was inevitable. It was the first "true" mission as he had called it, when that old man Tazuna had hired them to protect him on his journey back to the Wave Country. The man had hired them to get rid of Gatou and his men, to free the Wave Country from those ruling through fear. It was another reason, he figured, that there were ninjas available for hire.

Take this recent mission for example. The Amekage had hired Naruto and Sakura to investigate into the organization that was ruling by fear and murder. The Amekage had gone underneath the reign of terror to employ help to rid his village of those that were threatening his people's safety.

He sighed, watching the people of the village from his perch in a tree. His chakra was low, but he deciphered that most were simple civilians, completely unaware and unable to sense his presence. Not even the rain jounin would be able to sense him. He wasn't labeled an S-class ninja for nothing.

Still, he did need to warn his friends – if that's indeed what they were. Teammates, fellow ninja, he wasn't quite sure. "Friend" was a strong word for him to use in any case, and he did not use the word at all – so far as he remembered.

He glanced down at the passersby, staring at them as they went about their business. Though he hated to admit it, he felt a certain obligation to tell his previous teammates about who was really in charge of Takai; they had a right to know. It would be a shock (at least to hear who he thought was the leader), but he was sure his teammates could handle it. They were eighteen after all, and probably close to being jounin. Well, Sakura was more likely still a chuunin, and wouldn't make jounin for a while, but…

Talking to Sakura was the last thing he wanted to do. When he had seen her at Orochimaru's hideout, her face had been petrified, and there wasn't much she could do against his power. True, she was the smartest of the team, but he wanted to be able to relay the information quickly and get out of there before too much happened. But it looked like Naruto was the one that he would need to talk to.

Of course, it didn't help that he wanted to fight Naruto. It was an ambition of his, and since learning about Naruto's growth, he wanted to test his teammate's power. It had been five long years since he had truly fought Naruto, and three since he had discovered what was hidden in the depths of Naruto's person. Who would have thought that such a dead last ninja had been given such monstrous power? It was definitely something no one who had known him would have guessed.

His mind wandered, entertaining the idea of what it would be like should he go back to Konoha for some reason. Not that he would, but it had been present in his mind for a while. Maybe…

No, he could not, and would not think of it. Yet without his knowledge, his mind (or maybe it was his heart, he wasn't sure; he didn't know if he had one) was made up for him without his consent, and he knew that he would hold to it. It was if – and only if – he was satisfied with how his teammates' development had progressed. Sakura had seemed somewhat useless when he had seen her last…

There was a twinge somewhere in his chest, but he ignored it, argued against it. It was true. All he had seen with his Sharingan was the chakra in her hand, and since when had Sakura's chakra been harmful? She did pack a mean punch, but she neither knew her chakra nature nor what to do with her energy.

Despite that, he could not explain why he wanted her to have improved, and greatly for that matter. He wanted her to have succeeded in something, and it made no sense at all. He was an Uchiha, and one that had surpassed his brother Itachi, the genius in the clan that had more talent than anyone else of the Uchiha. He had defeated his brother, done things that Konoha ANBU might not have even done, and he was starting to care about his teammates.

He shuddered at the thought. Uchiha Sasuke care about someone? Unheard of. However, as unheard of as it was, it was true. And if he were honest with himself (which was something he really did not like to do), he was tired of running. When he thought of rest, he thought of his team. There was no judging, no need for explanation – just the randomness when Naruto and Sakura would talk about the training that day, or missions, or just things they liked. When they would sometimes try to take off Kakashi's mask to see what he really looked like underneath it, and the jounin was always too quick for them. He was mostly silent, but at these times, nobody seemed to mind – not even Sakura. She would relinquish her fan-girl tendencies, and just be Sakura. It was nice as they hung around _their_ training ground. He missed it. He really did, even if the only person he'd ever admit that to was himself.

A glance down, and he was staring at the Academy again, arm resting on his raised knee. All of the lights in the building were off, but he was staring at the window on the off side of the Academy and slightly to the left of the middle of the building. It, too, was dark, but his mind was on the girl _inside_ the room.

When he thought of Sakura, he thought of her as the useless part of a team he left behind, a hindrance to his growth. Over the years, he had indulged himself in imagining what she would be like without his presence. He had figured that she would be sad, even pitiful for a while as she cried her heart out – especially five years ago. Then, she would decide to move on to better things, and maybe she would even grow a little bit in between. But he had never imagined her to be a chuunin. He thought she would be somebody's apprentice, attempting to work on her genjutsu skills even though they were minimal.

He had never expected to hear about Sasori's defeat, either, and how it had been at the hands of a petite kunoichi. He had passed it off as something he didn't really need to know, until he heard that the Akatsuki member had been defeated by a kunoichi of the name of "Sakura." Mind frozen, he had quickly broken out of his reverie, convincing himself that there was good probability of another kunoichi wearing that name. Then, someone mentioned pink hair. He had cursed inwardly, and blamed it on beginner's luck.

And just a few years ago, he had crossed her path and it had been all too easy to stop her. She had posed no threat, but he couldn't get that patch of chakra in her fist out of his mind. Still, before she could have even touched him, his sword would have slipped through her like a knife through butter. But that new team leader had gotten in the way, so he hadn't killed her, though he could not deny the fact that he _would have_ killed her; and he didn't know _why_, but now, years later, it _bothered_ him.

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Ninja sucked. She didn't care if she was one. Ninja still sucked.

They screwed with hard-worked plans – not that hers were exactly hard-worked. She simply came up with the ideas and told her subordinates to do the work for her. Yet she _was_ doing the most work, making sure her organization stayed relatively below the radar and that identities weren't discovered – especially hers.

And yet, ninja still sucked.

She had planned it all out, and it had been a good plan at that, yet those damn ninja had gotten in the way. Again. She was really starting to get pissed. Because of those damn ninja, Izanami hadn't been able to contact Daichi like she was supposed to. Shuhan knew that it wasn't the woman's fault. Kami knew that she was about ready to kill those ninja herself if the success of this entire mission didn't depend on the pink haired medic that was apparently the Hokage's apprentice. And, to top it all off, Izanami was also unable to decipher whether any of the workers in the hospital were that medic's assistant.

Ninja really did screw up everything, and Shuhan hated it.

It was ridiculous! She had planned this out, worked through the sudden demands of having to move quickly and purposefully since she had the feeling that they were about to be discovered. Whether it was through Samanji or Izanami (as careful and as good a ninja as she was), or they somehow discovered the purpose of Takai, she just _felt_ that strange sense of urgency.

True, none of her subordinates knew what exactly she was after, and she wanted to keep it that way. Rumors were rumors, but she didn't want them to know what she was planning. It was for her and for her alone. The others were pawns, a sort of means to draw the focus of battle to the sacrifices so she could get what she wanted.

However, there was a slight glitch. She had no idea if it would even work. Rumors had been spread about seals pertaining to bijuu, but she could never quite get her hands on solid and dependable information, which led her to believe that there were still many things she didn't know about this operation. Yet she was convinced that it would work. It had to. She had been planning this for far too long for it to fail now – or sometime soon.

In the midst of it all, bijuu were terribly unpredictable things, and she didn't completely disregard the demise of Akatsuki. They had been going after the bijuu as well, but she difference was she didn't want all of them. She only wanted one, and as of right now, it was stored in a cave upon which she had somehow stumbled. It was the seventh bijuu she wanted, the most powerful of the ones sealed into the cave of very strange eyes. She wouldn't deny that those eyes definitely had very creepy values…

But she had a new target now. Hardly ever a few feet away from the pink haired medic was her apparent teammate, a one Uzumaki Naruto, jinchuuriki to the most powerful bijuu there was: Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox. That demon was much better than the seven-tailed bijuu, and she thanked Kami for that one night two and a half years ago.

It had been pure chance when she had met former Akatsuki member Deidara – when he had still been alive, that is. All of the Akatsuki members were deceased now, but back then, when she had happened upon the Akatsuki base and its cave of bijuu, a very strange ninja with the ability to mold explosives had attacked her. Taijutsu was forced as a strong point of hers since she wasn't very talented with regular ninjutsu. Genjutsu served her well, but it wasn't her favorite. Her kekkai genkai, however, was of course her best technique to use. It was unfortunate her ability required one to be extremely close to their opponent, but that was where her other family abilities kicked in.

The women of her clan (before she had defected, of course, and had relinquished the right to be a part of that clan) had been known for their exceptional beauty. The kekkai genkai was one passed down only to female descendants, and while hair ranged from blond to black, and eyes could be any shade possible, each woman was known for individual and unerring elegance. Their looks, when combined with their very unique kekkai genkai proved unavoidable and unbreakable. Of course, touch was necessary, and so were words – but it was the amazing subtleness of it all that left most of her clan's prey completely clueless.

And of course, she had been the most talented of her family. Her mother and brother were on a very long vacation, and her sister… Well, it was safe to say that her sister was on vacation with the rest of her family. Sadly enough, her family was the last of the clan. At least the others were safe touring the nothingness of Suna. Honestly, why her family had vacationed there was beyond her.

Still, she had figured her clan talents to be too subtle for anything useful – until she had met Deidara. Akatsuki members had been known for their power and status as highly skilled missing nin. She had never thought that any of them would be interested in women, but she knew it wasn't useless to try. So, when he had grabbed her arm to lift her up, planting something squishy with legs onto her, she had used her charm. And he had fallen into her kekkai genkai like a moth drawn to flame.

It had been surprisingly easy to get him to do what she wanted, and though there was a glitch in the way her kekkai genkai worked, she had gotten the information she had needed. True, she had been forced to listen to his endless awe and explanations of "beautiful art in the eye of the destroyer" and his awful and constant use of the very small phrase "hm." But for the information and necessity of staying hidden, she had been able to keep her act going. And when she had left and snapped her fingers, he had forgotten the whole ordeal, and in its place was a new memory.

Though she had honed her abilities long ago, she had realized just how powerful her jutsu was, and exactly how it needed to work. If the circumstances were perfect, her power was absolute. She could make anyone do anything. Take Samanji for example. When he had resisted, it had only _felt_ as if his insides were tearing themselves apart, when they really weren't. What led to the pain, however, was a glitch in her kekkai genkai that she really wished wasn't there.

But, thanks to her quick mind, she now knew how to extract a bijuu, and her knowledge was finally being put to good use. Well, if taking over Amegakure was considered good use, but it was to her, at least, and that was all that mattered. She had to do this for herself because no one had been there for her before.

Because ninja could be complicated and awfully flighty things when put in the right environment. Most didn't follow orders very well, and it seemed that she got stuck with ninja that was the worst at following directions – Samanji.

Same with the pink haired bitch and her teammate. They had no respect for her plans or anything else (even though they weren't supposed to know anything anyway) because they just had to go unconscious and completely destroy the precious time of how her plans fit for getting things done before Takai was discovered.

And when it all came down to it, ninja still sucked.

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Soft light played with his eyelids, the exhaustion moving through his eyes and down his body, tempting him to turn over and go back to sleep. He shifted, snuggling deeper into something soft – very soft, but immovable at the same time. That something soft also possessed short strands of silk that smelled amazingly wonderful. If he thought about it, it reminded him of honey and cherries.

He let his senses attune themselves to his surroundings, and he felt his arms move slightly. He sighed, not paying any particular attention since he was ready to surrender again to sweet sleep, until the thing on which his arm rested moved again, much more noticeable this time. The short strands stroked over his face.

Something was definitely wrong. He forced his eyes open, ready to move, to defend himself, but when his vision focused, his gaze slipped over the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Although her back faced him, Sakura was lying next to him, her hair spread over her pillow as she rested on her right side. She slowly moved her arms and attempted to sit up, but even though his brain was still muddled with sleep, he could tell that it was very hard for her to do. Her arms were shaking, and an exhausted grunt rubbed through her throat. When she sucked in a breath, he felt his arm touch her ribs. He glanced down, shocked at what he saw. His left arm was slung over her waist, and his mind promptly went blank.

How in the world his arm had gotten around Sakura's waist he had no idea, but she didn't seem to be paying attention to it, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. She rested for a moment before trying to sit up again.

"Kaka-sensei," she whispered tiredly. "Is it time for another healing session?"

Naruto glanced around the room for his teacher, but Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until the jounin spoke that Naruto realized it was through the radio devices they were required to wear during reconnaissance missions and others that required teammates to split up.

"No, no, Sakura," the one-eyed jounin chuckled softly, his voice muffled with static from the radio. "If anyone needs healing, it's you. You've done brilliantly these past few days. Now get some sleep."

She breathed a small sigh of relief. "Hai, Kaka-sensei." She shifted again, resting fully against the bed. The back of her thigh rubbed against the front of his, and his body jolted to life. Electricity shot through his blood, coiling in his stomach before swirling out of control. His breath stopped, mind suddenly clear as the sensations racked through his body. Though he couldn't see it, he could feel how close his arm was to Sakura's chest, and his body took over. Even though he was screaming at himself that she would _definitely_ pummel him for his thoughts, he couldn't help it. His gaze traveled down, and the rest of his body heated.

The pink haired kunoichi was actually _against_ him, the small of her back resting on his chest. The rest of her body was pressed against him as well, and when his eyes reached their hips he didn't _dare_ let his thoughts take him any further than that. One of his legs fit over hers, but he had to say something, and soon, because if he didn't… Well he didn't quite wish for Sakura to experience how very much of a guy he was because even though he had already been through puberty… No. _No_, he was _not_ going there.

"Sakura?" he asked softly, voice hoarse and thick with sleep.

She gasped and quickly turned her head. "Naruto!" She struggled to turn over, the ordeal looking both tiresome and painful, but she finally managed to face him. He didn't think he'd ever seen such relief in her face as she lay on her side. "You're awake!" Her eyes were bright, and suddenly, she threw her arms around him and crushed him to her.

"Wa – I – Sakura – Can't… Breathe!" he spluttered, surprised by her actions. "Ah!" he suddenly gasped. "Itai! Everything hurts…" As his other senses took over, he realized that everything did hurt in some form or another, and it seemed as if all the muscles his body could possibly possess were stiff and sore.

"Of course it hurts, baka! What did you expect?" Sakura murmured indignantly. She glanced to the side, that look coming across her face like it always did when she was miffed about something and would cross her arms. But it seemed that she couldn't be angry with him for long. She sighed in obvious relief. "At least you're awake."

"Why wouldn't I be?" he questioned, tilting his head to the side and furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

Sakura looked at him for a long moment, her eyes showing the disbelief she felt. She swallowed thickly. "Naruto…" she asked slowly, hesitantly. "What do you remember?"

When he tried to think back, pain exploded behind his eyes, and he grunted. "Naruto!" Sakura cried, but he held up a hand.

He waited a bit for the pain to lessen before he faced his worried teammate. "I remember… training. And – and Kaori! I remember putting her to bed, and telling her a story before going out to train. I worked on… Hiraishin, and Kyuubi was helping me, but I needed… Speed! I needed more speed, so Chisoku and I trained for a bit, and…" His voice trailed off as everything that had happened flooded back into his mind. He remembered almost passing out, and Sakura, and carrying her back to the room where… He turned his gaze to her, eyes wide. "You said yes," he whispered.

Sakura finally managed to sit up, her legs folded underneath her as she made a routine check-up by spreading her hands over his legs and torso. He could not miss the worry in her voice as she murmured, "Baka… What are you talking about now?" She had said it to herself, but Naruto reciprocated her action and sat up, leaning closer to her, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

"Last night! You said yes! I asked you out, and you… you said yes."

"Oh," she sighed. "That's what you were talking about." She laughed a bit, then looked down at the sheets, voice low and serious. "Naruto… That was three nights ago."

He froze. Three nights ago? "But… What – what happened? How…?" _Kyuubi? You're still here, right? I'm… I'm so confused; I—_

_Calm down, Twerp! Yes, I'm here._

_Oh, I… Oh, okay, I'm just… How could this have happened? Do you know anything about it?_

_Yes, of course I do. I also know the names of all the ninja in the Hokage's ANBU. Of course I don't know, Twerp. You've been out of it, so it follows that I don't know anything, either_, the demon snapped, red eyes sharp.

_Er, okay, okay! Sorry, Kyuubi_, the blonde blinked, aware that Kyuubi seemed to have developed his old attitude while Naruto had been somehow unconscious for three days. "Naruto?"

"G – Gomen , Sakura. I just don't understand. How could it have been three nights ago?"

The medic sighed. "Remember how I had said that you had been completely chakra depleted when you had come to me?" The blonde nodded, and Sakura continued. "Well, you were right too when you said that I depleted my chakra reserves trying to take care of you.

"Apparently, after both of us had fallen asleep, we went into very mild comas. Kaori was extremely worried when we didn't wake up the next morning, and hurried to find Kakashi-sensei. When she did, he hurried to check on us before he ordered a medical team to our room immediately to assess our situation, and they replied that we were simply chakra depleted.

"Your chakra coils were the most damaged. They had to force me awake every six to eight hours so I could heal you."

"Na – Nani? Why, Sakura?" He didn't understand. She should have been the one that had been taken care of more – not him! Her chakra supply was already much less than his, and he had Kyuubi. The demon could have healed him faster.

_Oh, so now I'm useful._

He ignored the fox, and focused on Sakura. Her face was twisted into a quizzical expression, and he had to admit that it made her look quite cute.

"I don't know. All I know is that when they tried healing you, your body rejected their chakra. So, they channeled their chakra through me so I could heal you. My chakra was the only thing your body would accept. You've been passed out for three days and I've been sleeping as well for the most part." She suddenly gasped and grabbed her arm, wincing.

"Sakura-chan!"

"It's okay, Naruto," she said softly, a small smile on her face. "I'll be fine."

He shook his head, placing his hands on hers. "You aren't completely healed. Kyuubi has already restored my chakra, so use it. You need to." His eyes bored into hers, letting her know that he meant it. She smiled a bit.

"Fine, bakanaro," she whispered, but the smile still tugged at her mouth as her eyes moved to his hands when she drew on his chakra to help her heal. Her eyes closed as her entire body visibly relaxed, and he felt a frown pull at the corners of his mouth. She did look okay, even if there were slight bags under her eyes. Those thoughts, however, were driven from his mind as a contented sigh flitted from her lips. Besides, he liked the way her head fell to his shoulder, one of her fingers stroking the back of his hand.

It was a soothing gesture, one she surely meant to convey her thanks, but it made his body jump with life. It wasn't exactly that he found it slightly erotic (though he did), but it was in the touch itself. She was so close to him: her head on his shoulder, a part of her knee over his calf, her hands encasing his. It wasn't the type of touch he was used to. He was used to no touch at all, or injuries he'd get from training, but never touch like this. Ninja like him – especially like him – weren't touched like this.

But Sakura was so close to him, unafraid, content with where she was. And she didn't know it, but it meant the world to him. It meant so much to him that she wasn't afraid. If he could have described it, he would have said it was heaven.

Slowly, Sakura began to lower her hands, a small bubble of laughter on her lips. "You know, I remember saying that your chakra made me feel like destroying an entire forest. It's still that powerful, you know," she smiled.

"Sakura, I…"

"Hush," she whispered, lips pulling into a happy smile. "I'm glad you're okay. I was worried, you know, for as long as I could be. I was too tired and worn out to be awake for long."

"Sakura-chan, you shouldn't have done that. You… You could have died, too."

"No, I wouldn't have. There were other medics right behind, ready in case something happened. But I feel much better. Energized." She smiled at him, the gesture radiant, shining from her very core. He couldn't describe it, but it touched him. She leaned closer, pressing her forehead against his. "You'll have to give me more of that chakra whenever I'm tired," she laughed softly, eyes sparkling mischievously as she reached for the radio. "Kaka-sensei? Naruto's awake."

The door opened, and Naruto turned, eyes resting on Kakashi as the jounin lounged in the doorway. "Kakashi-sensei," he said softly.

The jounin smiled and held up a hand. "Yo." His exposed eye crinkled before he quickly looked out the door, apparently hearing something that neither of the chuunin had. He laughed quietly. "Well, looks like there's someone else who can't wait to see you."

"Otou-san! Kaa-san!" a small voice suddenly cried. Kaori jumped onto the bed, tiny arms outstretched as she attempted to hug them both at the same time. Her grey eyes were wet with tears, but Naruto was the first she turned to as she hugged him for all she was worth. "Otou-san! I was so worried… And Kaa-san!" she turned to Sakura and hugged the medic, her grip even tighter. Naruto's eyes tightened. Of course. Her parents.

"I missed you, Kaori," Sakura whispered, her grip tight on the little girl. "I missed you so much! I'm sorry we worried you."

Kaori pulled back, looking at both of them fiercely. "You guys shouldn't ever do that again! I was worried you wouldn't wake up—! And jiji-sama was worried, too! He won't admit it, but he was worried! Don't do it again!" she said determinedly, shaking her finger at the two of them.

Naruto reached out to her, and Kaori gladly fell into his embrace. "We're sorry, Kaori. So sorry. We won't do it to you again."

She sniffled. "P-Promise?"

"Promise," Sakura finished, gently placing her hand on the grey-eyed girl's back.

Kaori sniffled again, rubbing her eyes with a tiny fist as she asked, "Are you guys sure? You won't leave me?"

"We're all right now, Kaori," Naruto reassured her, glancing over at Sakura. "We won't leave you." He smiled at the little girl, and she tentatively smiled back. "Listen, Kaori, how about we get something to eat?"

Her face lit up.

"Of course!" Sakura added. "Otou-san and I are hungry, so how about it?"

"Um…" Kaori started, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "W-Would it be all right if we had a picnic? I've never been on one, and… and…"

"It's done," Sakura smiled, and Kaori wrapped the medic in a hug.

"Thank you, Kaa-san," she whispered.

Suddenly, Naruto glanced at Kakashi, an idea forming in his head as he remembered a few of Kaori's earlier words. "Hey, Kaori, why don't you stay with jiji for a bit while Kaa-san and I get ready so we can eat?"

The jounin drooped as Kaori leapt toward him, all the while calling him jiji-sama and asking him if he would be joining them for the picnic. Kakashi sighed dejectedly and kept muttering, "But I'm not _that_ old," as he exited the room with Kaori in tow.

The two chuunin attempted to hold in their laughter, but after a moment, it was too much. Kakashi being called grandpa at the wonderful age of thirty-two was priceless. Completely and utterly priceless.

00000

It took an hour before Naruto and Sakura were able to make it to where Kakashi and Kaori had staked their picnic site because Sakura had needed another healing session, but once they arrived, Kakashi bid them farewell. Kaori excitedly began to explain that Kakashi had been kind enough to buy food from Onigiri Genki so that they already had something to eat when they got there.

For the most part, Kaori sat in Sakura's lap, but towards the end of the picnic, she had decided to use Naruto as her chair. Neither chuunin minded, and they could feel the little girl's relief as she finally relaxed, positive her "parents" were all right now.

"So," Sakura started, slowly finishing the last of the pastries. She was definitely full from all this food, but she sincerely hoped Kakashi hadn't paid the bill with either her or Naruto's money. "Where did you stay while Otou-san and I were being taken care of?"

At that, Kaori's eyes lit up. "I stayed with jiji-sama!" she cried. "He read me bedtime stories and everything! They weren't as good as Otou-san's. I mean, Otou-san talks about castles and princes and princesses, but jiji-sama didn't talk about that."

"Oh?" the medic smiled. "And what kind of stories did jiji-sama tell you?" Sakura couldn't wait to hear what type of story Kakashi had conjured. She could just imagine him floundering around for something to say.

"Well," Kaori started, placing her finger on her chin. "He read out of this weird orange book…" Sakura froze, "…and the stories were about this guy and girl, only they weren't princes or princesses. There were quite a few different stories in there, but one was about this um… um… I can't remember the word…"

Sakura caught Naruto's gaze, and he jumped in surprise at her glare. He gulped.

"Oh! Oh!" Kaori said excitedly as she stood from Naruto's lap and off to the side to address them both. "It was this girl named Ma… Mira or something, and she had a husband but was having an, an… affair! with this other guy." Sakura felt her anger grow. How dare Kakashi read his book to _Kaori_, a _six-year-old_! "Ano, Kaa-san?" the girl asked, head cocked to the side.

It took all of Sakura's willpower to keep her smile from appearing deadly. "Yes?"

"What's position 69?"

Sakura blinked.

Tea spewed from Naruto's mouth.

A pink eyebrow twitched.

Tan whiskered skin flushed red as pale hands clenched into unbelievably tight fists.

"Position. Sixty. Nine?" the medic managed to grind out.

"Mmhm," Kaori nodded innocently. "There was a picture of it in the book jiji-sama was reading out of, but I didn't get it. And I don't understand why it was talking about tongues and missionaries, but when I asked jiji-sama about it, he got all red and started giggling and refused to tell me!" the little girl's grey eyes were wide, intent with curiosity, but Sakura couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Kakashi-sensei!" she screamed, jumping up from her position on the blanket, her arms aching to strangle her teacher. She barely heard Naruto whisper a colorful expletive as he hurriedly assured Kaori this wasn't her fault before grabbing his teammate around the waist. Red dots swarmed in front of her vision as she seethed, "I'm going to kill him. I _will_ kill him. How dare he read _Icha Icha_ to Kaori!"

"Sakura! Sakura, please calm down!" Naruto pleaded. But she wasn't having any of it. "Please, Sakura!" Naruto continued. "I don't care if you pummel Kakashi-sensei, just later! Not now!"

Her mind wouldn't let her pay attention to the man behind her. Her Inner was simmering with wrath, shoving out ideas of what torture she could put her sensei through because there was absolutely _no_ reason for him to poison Kaori's mind with sex positions when she was only _six_.

"Please, Sakura. Please calm down," the blonde whispered, and Sakura's ranting suddenly stopped. Naruto's hands had somehow dipped beneath her shirt and were creating trails of fire over her stomach. His mouth rested at the juncture of her neck and shoulders, hot breath sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. When she had gotten herself into this position was beyond her, but his hands were creeping higher as his mouth did the same, resting just below her hairline.

A breathless moan shifted through her throat as Naruto kissed the spot just behind her ear before whispering, "Kaori's worried, Sakura. She thinks you're mad at her. You have to calm down. _Please_, Sakura-chan."

_No! Retribution must be served! Kaka-sensei must pay!_

_I know! But… Kaori!_ Sakura protested, fighting the anger that her Inner was thrusting in her face. Right now, the other side of her, the "good" side, was tuned to Kaori, as if she had suddenly sensed the girl's worry.

"Um… Okay," she finally agreed, clearing her head. She glanced at Naruto, wondering how in the world he was able to do that to her. If any man had touched her like that, they would be on the ground writhing, begging for their life, but Naruto had just the right touch that sent her body into a melting pile of flesh. It was embarrassing.

"Ano… K-Kaa-san, are you m-mad?" Kaori said hesitantly. "I didn't mean to say what I did! I'm sorry! I was just curious!"

Sakura sighed and bent down, pulling Kaori into her arms. "No, I'm not mad. Jiji-sama shouldn't have read you that stuff, that's all. I was mad at him. Don't fret. It's okay." The medic glanced at her teammate, reading their darkened color as she held onto the little girl. Naruto glanced away, seemingly embarrassed, but he looked back again, like he couldn't keep his eyes away from her for too long.

When Kaori seemed herself again, finishing off the last bits of rice, Sakura moved closer to Naruto. "I'm sorry for that, I just…"

"Yeah, I know," Naruto laughed, nervously scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, and sorry for, uh… kinda seducing you. I had run out of options, and it seemed like the only thing left that I _could_ do, so, uh… yeah."

"It's okay," Sakura said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She blushed as she felt Naruto's continued gaze.

"Sakura, I…" he started, eyebrows furrowed, and she inhaled sharply as she really looked into his eyes. It was strange how so bright a blue could darken to navy, but her body heated at the implications she saw in his eyes. She couldn't deny that his thoughts were quite flattering, actually.

"Am I interrupting anything?" a deep baritone voice asked. All three turned toward the sound, and Kaori gasped, reaching to clasp her hand around Naruto's. Sakura relaxed, as did her teammate, recognizing the figure walking towards them. A smile broke Naruto's features.

"Chisoku," he murmured. The fox let a smirk twist his lips as he walked closer, rolling his red eyes in amusement. "How's the chakra?" Naruto continued.

The fox shrugged. "As good as it could be, I suppose. Nothing like three days of sleeping to get better." Chisoku glanced at Sakura, his gaze suddenly intense and somewhat apologetic.

Sakura's small smile fell, and she looked at the ground. She wasn't completely sure if she could forgive the fox. Naruto's tenketsu had been badly damaged. When they had been younger, their tenketsu healed faster, were flexible to the influx or efflux of chakra. Even though they were only eighteen, using chakra like they did when they were genin, from such a young age took its toll on anyone's body.

But a few days ago, Naruto had been entirely devoid of chakra; even Kyuubi couldn't heal his host, and Sakura knew why. Chakra coils were one of the most delicate aspects of the chakra system – that was why the Hyuuga Juuken was so dangerous. Naruto's tenketsu had been shaking, desperately trying to create chakra and send it through his body to keep him alive.

Despite Kyuubi's desire to help, giving Naruto his chakra would have been deadly. The blonde's tenketsu had already been damaged, and without his own chakra to cushion Kyuubi's, the demon's chakra would have created tiny incisions into the chakra coils, shoving his chakra regeneration into overload and causing his body to lapse into seizures. Not only that, but if Kyuubi had used his chakra to heal Naruto, those incisions would have acted just like a Rasenshuriken, possibly preventing Naruto from ever wielding chakra again.

There was also the fact that Naruto's wounds had reopened when the other medics had tried to heal him. His blood had coated her hands and the sheets, and as hard as she tried she couldn't stop herself from crying – mostly from exhaustion, but there had also been that small bud of fear and anger clutching at her heart. Fear because the damage had been something she had only read about, and anger because she hated to see him in pain, even if it was a dire cost before the rest of his body could heal.

After a minute or so, his body had relaxed, but she had still poured all of her strength to make sure he wasn't in pain any longer. However, while her hands had been positioned over his belly, she could have sworn that Kyuubi had talked to her when she had been transferring her chakra into her teammate's system to heal him…

Her eyes met Chisoku's again, and he licked his chops, lowering his head slightly. Naruto and Kaori were looking at them as if they had suddenly admitted they were in love. Yet Sakura's gaze never wavered from the fox, her expression angry.

The summon walked closer, stopping in front of the medic, red eyes boring into hers.

"You hurt him," she accused quietly.

Chisoku didn't deny it.

"Why?"

"Because he asked me to help him, but the chase was my idea, and mine alone," the fox admitted. He let his head fall, almost as if he were about to sniff something on the ground. Sakura's fist clenched, hovering over his head, her ears dimly aware of Naruto's protesting. But her attention was focused on the fox, and she stared at this blatant display of trust and acceptance of deserved punishment. The blood red head was lowered, waiting, expecting her retribution.

_Do it!_ her Inner urged. _He hurt Naruto! He made us so worried about that bakanaro! We don't want to go through that again. He deserves a good bashing on the head, or maybe something worse…_

_But…_ Sakura bit her lip, knowing her Inner was right, but that other part of her mind, the quiet, logical side, was arguing against it. Yes, she had been worried, and her Inner, the purest entity of her true feelings, knew how afraid she really had been.

After a moment, Sakura's hand relaxed, and she gently set it on Chisoku's head. The fox gasped, eyes flying open to catch the medic's gaze. Her lips were still pressed together, wondering if she had made the right decision. She blinked, and her eyes softened as her fingers moved to scratch his ear. Chisoku's eyes were wide, completely astonished at her behavior.

As much as she tried to be mad at the summon, she couldn't. Naruto had asked for a training partner and was still a complete masochist for pain, but she could tell that during those hours, Naruto had finally gained Chisoku's respect – his full respect.

Plus, for Chisoku to take such consideration of her, giving her the power to be just and hurt him as he had hurt someone she cared about was not something over which she could simply glance. And she couldn't deny that she liked the stubborn and somewhat arrogant fox. Even though Naruto had just earned the summon's respect, the fox had always been pleasant to her, even a bit protective at times.

"Why?" he breathed.

Sakura paused for a moment. Anything she tried to think of to say just sounded to corny or weird, or even mushy. So, she shrugged and murmured simply, "Because."

There wasn't anything else she could really say, and as the fox stared at her, she saw the understanding dawn on his face. Her brow furrowed when, fingertips haloed by the softest of mint green chakra, she realized that Chisoku wasn't fully recovered from chakra exhaustion. His eyes closed gratefully as her fingers scratched soothing circles behind his ears before he cast a surreptitious glance at her crossed legs.

He sighed as tiny threads sifted through his fur and into his body before meekly stepping forward and curling into Sakura's lap. He snuggled closer as she chuckled softly, other hand gently stroking his back. She wondered if he had ever been properly taken care of; he sometimes reminded her of some kids, most of them orphans, who thought it was them against the rest of the world, and their gruff attitudes had been a telltale sign of their neglect.

"Er… Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked hesitantly, afraid to ruin the moment. Sakura looked up at her teammate, her smile growing as she saw Naruto's growing confusion quirk his face until it looked comical – adorably so, of course.

Kaori tugged on Naruto's sleeve, breaking them both out of their small staring contest (if that's what it could be called) and asking, "What is that?"

Naruto quickly gathered his bearings and let Kaori inch closer to the resting fox as Sakura blinked. She hadn't been expecting that question that was for sure. "It's a summoning fox, Kaori. If Naruto needs help while he's fighting, he can summon this guy, and _poof_! He's right there ready to help."

"Oh… But—"

"Yo!"

"Jiji-sama!"

Naruto smiled at Sakura, and both snickered at their sensei's new nickname. Kakashi sighed heavily, but allowed Kaori to hurry over and hug his leg. He awkwardly patted her back, and raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of Chisoku snoozing in Sakura's lap. The fox yawned, and Sakura was stumbling over her words when the jounin finally seemed to spot the chakra humming around her hand.

The fox snorted. "It's not like I'm going to take her, Kakashi," Chisoku said lazily. "She belongs to him after all." He glanced around. "What?"

Sakura's eyes were wide as she blinked owlishly, her mind failing to wrap around what Chisoku had just said. Did he know that Naruto had asked her out and that she had said yes? But how could he? She and Naruto had been in their room at the time, and the fox had been nowhere near them; she was sure of it.

Green eyes flicked to her teammate. _Naruto looks just as shocked as I am. And Kakashi… Oh, Kami, Kakashi-sensei is giving us that look…_

_Well, it's true, isn't it?_ her Inner huffed indignantly. _It's not like it's the end of the fucking world! I'll give them a piece of my mind if they keep staring like that!_

_Why are you so angry today?_

_Hey, we're tired and cranky because we're still not completely rested, and I haven't spoken in three days! You would be angry, too. Now let's beat 'em!_

_But the only one I want to beat is Kakashi-sensei, and—"_ A wicked smile touched Sakura's lips as she glanced up at her sensei. The jounin blinked, suddenly taken back by the look on her face. _Oh, yes. He has definitely learned to fear this look, and he should!_

_Kaori! Of course! Well, we will make sure he gets it!_

_Now that is something that I will agree to wholeheartedly._ Sakura started to stand, unmindful of the scowling summoning fox that had just been displaced from his warm sleeping spot. She settled her hands on her hips, her smile turning into a frown as her eyebrows slammed together. "Kaka-sensei," she murmured dangerously. "You have some explaining to do."

"A-Aha…" he stuttered.

Courtesy of training underneath a Hokage, Sakura was able to read her opponent's emotions better than most ninja her age, and she knew that Kakashi had no idea what she was talking about. But as her knuckles cracked when her fist tightened, she vowed that he would definitely know soon. Besides, he had that typical _'What the fuck have I, or did I do now?'_ look that graced most people's faces when they realized they had pissed off the wrong medical ninja.

And it was so wonderful to see how much people feared her deadly punches. "Kaka-sensei, what did you read Kaori when she was staying with you?"

The jounin paled.

She waited, eyebrows rising when all Kakashi-sensei could do was stutter. She glanced down at Naruto, eyes blazing for a moment before he quickly covered Kaori's small ears. The little girl looked to the blonde, but he simply shook his head.

Kakashi gulped.

"Want to tell me why the _hell_ you decided to _fucking_ read _Icha Icha Paradise_ to a _six-year-old_ girl? And how she comes to _me_ and Naruto with questions about _sex positions_? Oh, and that somehow included their _fucking_ names!" she said fiercely, noticing that Kakashi winced with each expletive she let loose.

He had good reason for it. She didn't curse that much, but when she did, especially with as many as she said in a single line of questioning, it meant danger. Utterly terrible, horrible, and deadly danger. If there was one other thing besides her wicked strength that her teammates were substantially wary of, it was her hot temper bound to an extremely short fuse.

The jounin held up his hands. "Gomen, gomen, Sakura! She wanted a bed-time story, and I couldn't think of one to make up, so I just… you know… read what I had," he finished lamely.

_Control. Control,_ she whispered to herself, repeating it like a mantra, even though she completely agreed with her Inner to squash the one-eyed man in front of her. Suddenly remembering that the girl of which she spoke was almost right next to her, Sakura quickly looked at Kaori. But the girl simply looked worried and a bit curious, and the medic silently thanked Naruto for the silencing jutsu he placed on Kaori's ears.

"What are you here for, then?" she spat, trying to rein in her heightening temper.

"Ah, yes, well, I came by because since Naruto managed to get the speed required for Hiraishin, we need more work on speed and the precision of the jutsu." He crinkled his eye, that look coming over his face that always spoke of mild amusement and the slightest bit of boredom.

She was so not in the mood to deal with this.

"Fine." She pinched the bridge of her nose, blocking out the rest of the sounds as her anger simmered just beneath the surface. She really wanted to beat her sensei for his ridiculous lack of tact, but there was another way to do it, and that someone was much more qualified in the area of speed than she was. "Naruto?"

The blonde quickly walked over. "Hai?" he asked hesitantly.

She waved her hand in his face. "I'm not mad at you, but you could do me a favor."

"Er…"

"Murder Kakashi-sensei for me, will you? It's not right that he told that sort of thing to Kaori, and you have better speed to keep up with him than I do. Got it?"

Naruto nodded, scratching the back of his neck as Sakura hurried back to the picnic blanket, employing Kaori's help to gather their breakfast items. when she quickly glanced at her teammate, he was walking toward Chisoku, posture illustrating his determination. She stared at him and the fox, furrowing her eyebrows at Naruto's suddenly tense back. After a moment, he relaxed, a small smile on his face. Sakura bit her lip, eager to figure out what had conspired between the two, but it really wasn't any of her business, even if curiosity was eating at her like one of Shino's chakra bugs.

Kaori pulled Sakura's shirt. "Kaa-san, can I go to the hospital with you today?"

"Of course," Sakura smiled, her anger deflated now that Kaori was in front of her. "Ready to go? Cause I need to get there as soon as possible."

"Hai!" Kaori answered, and Sakura laughed at the little girl's salute. Suddenly, she squealed, "Look, Kaa-san! That fox is coming with us!"

"Oh?"

Sure enough, Chisoku was trotting towards them, soft black paws making no noise whatsoever. The summon sighed, quickly stopping when Kaori hesitantly stood before him. "Um… Fox-sama, may I ride on your back? You're tall and everything, and I've never ridden on a fox before… Please?"

The medic was sure that Chisoku had every intention of saying no, but he was not used to children's faces. Sakura smiled as he stared at Kaori's hopeful face, grey eyes wide and small mouth curved in an impossibly adorable smile. He tried; he really did try to turn the girl down, but Sakura chuckled as Kaori's enchanting face trapped him. "Oh, all right," he murmured. "And it's Chisoku. Not Fox-sama," he said touchily, but Sakura could tell the fox didn't mean it.

The grey-eyed girl squealed excitedly. "Hai! Thanks, Chisoku-sama!" The fox glanced at Sakura, but she shrugged, her smile alluding to the fact that she found the scene quite adorable. Besides, what was life if one couldn't have a little fun?

For most of the trip, Sakura remained silent, preferring to listen to the conversation between Kaori and Chisoku. Occasionally, she would ask a question, but Kaori was the one completely fascinated with the animal she riding. Question after question bubbled from the little girl's mouth, and Sakura learned more about summoning foxes than she ever thought possible.

Every summon type had a place where they lived, and Chisoku was no different. He lived in Randosune, the Land of the Foxes. One of her questions had been the name's origin, and Chisoku had willingly obliged to answer. Apparently, it had been too strange to call the land Rando-Kitsune, or Kitsu-Rando, so everyone had agreed that Randosune was the best sounding combination of the two words. She also learned that Chisoku belonged to a specific branch of summoning foxes. In fact, there were three types: the normal fighting summon, a messenger summon, and a tracking or scouting summon. Chisoku belonged to the messenger branch of foxes, hence the reason why his name meant speed and he had been the one sent to test Naruto's ability.

There were always those that had started the clans, of course, the leader of them all, like Gamabunta and Katsuyu. According to Chisoku, the leader of Randosune could be quite temperamental at times, but he was a very loyal summon should a summoner gain his respect. His name was Kitsutaro, though everyone just called him Taro. His fur was the color of a dragon's burning flame, and his eyes were pale, a dirt brown misted over with cool crystal. That accounted for his chakra abilities as well as his ascent to leadership.

Out of all the foxes of Randosune, Taro was the most like Kyuubi. His greatest chakra type was fire, and he was the largest of all the foxes, almost as tall as Kyuubi but without the other eight tails. Despite how closely his character resembled a dragon's, Taro could actually be quite nice. If Sakura were to describe him, she realized that if someone meshed an eighth of Shikamaru and Sasuke's personality (from their genin days), and a fourth of Kyuubi, Tsunade, and Naruto's disposition together, one would have Taro.

Other than that, Chisoku didn't know too much about him. In his own right, Chisoku was very large for a messenger fox, but he didn't like to be around Taro too much. His temper could flare at any moment, and to Chisoku, it was just too much work to make sure he didn't offend the boss in any way.

Sakura chuckled. "It's obvious now why you and Naruto get along so well."

Chisoku winced as Kaori slipped a bit and grabbed onto his fur. "Nani? How do you know if Naruto and I are getting along?"

A wide, sly smile broke out on Sakura's face. "Women's intuition."

The fox snorted, rolling his eyes. "Although we're best known for our cunning, most people don't know about our stubbornness. It's one of our… hm, more _charming_ attributes, I suppose."

"And you guys don't fight and claw each other? Especially during mating season? You are foxes after all."

If Chisoku could have blushed, he would have. "Not all rumors are true, you know. And we all get along – to some extent. Taro is a bit more difficult than most, but what summon leader isn't extremely proud and has a bit of an ego?" the fox smiled.

The medic laughed. He was right. She knew that Katsuyu was an exception; she was a very kind and quiet slug leader. But when Sakura thought of Gamabunta and Orochimaru's old summon Manda, it was completely true. Gamabunta thought he was a gang leader of some sort (even though he was just a toad), and only allowed a select few to ever ride on the top of his head – or so she had heard. Manda? Well, Manda was a somewhat different story, and she didn't like thinking about him.

"I suppose you're right."

The three walked on for a bit until Kaori gasped. "Kaa-san…" she murmured, glancing longingly at the playground. It was a half-mile or so before they would reach the hospital, but this was where Kaori normally played when Sakura's shift got too busy in the afternoons.

Sakura felt a small pang. She had been eager to spend the day with Kaori and let the girl watch the medical procedures. But Kaori had just spotted some of her best friends, and Sakura knew that she would let that girl do almost whatever she wanted. Of course, there were lines that Sakura made, but Kaori wasn't the type of girl to cross them. She was just so thankful that she had a home that she hated doing anything to displease her and Naruto.

Hopeful grey eyes locked with Sakura's, and the medic smiled. "Go on and have fun. Just be safe."

It was impossible to describe the look of happiness that brightened Kaori's face. She quickly jumped off of Chisoku's back and hugged the medic tightly. "I'm sorry, Kaa-san, but I promise I'll come with you another time!" she said breathlessly. "Thank you, Kaa-san. Thank you for everything!"

With an excited gasp, Kaori let go and turned to Chisoku. "Thank you, Chisoku-sama!" She watched the fox bow slightly, her head cocked in confusion before throwing her arms around Chisoku's neck. The fox gasped, leaning away from Kaori until he finally managed to say something.

"Well, you're welcome, Kaori-san."

"See you later, Kaa-san! I love you!" Kaori called as she rushed off to meet her classmates.

Chisoku sighed. "That girl can get anyone wrapped around her finger."

Sakura nodded. "You know, I realized that no matter what she does, if she makes that face there is no way I'll be able to refuse. I'd give in right away," she smiled. It was crazy how attached she had become to that little girl.

But she wasn't the only one. Her eyes flicked back, past the Academy to some of the training fields beyond. Naruto had gotten attached to her as well, and there were some nights that she could feel him sitting there, watching Kaori as if she were the most precious thing in the world. She should have been jealous, but she knew that there was a big difference between someone's love for a child and for a lover.

Naruto didn't look at Kaori like he looked at her.

Sometimes, when she would catch him looking at her, there was this insanely happy light shining through the blue, like she was the sun to his world. Then there were other times when his eyes would darken, and the implications would send shivers of pleasure racing down her spine.

"Chisoku…" Sakura started, cheeks flushing from her previous thoughts. But her curiosity was getting the best of her. "What were you and Naruto talking about when Kaori and I were cleaning up?"

"Ah, that…"Chisoku murmured nervously. "Technically, I'm not supposed to tell you. He didn't want you to get mad at him." The fox smiled a bit, obviously remembering something funny about his conversation with his teammate.

"You respect him now," Sakura said softly. "I can tell. You were never this comfortable talking about him before." And she was glad. It was ridiculous the amount of hostility literally weighing down the air when those two had been within the same vicinity.

"Very intuitive," Chisoku chuckled. "He's a very strange boy, a type that I've never met before. Makes me rethink what I live for, you know?"

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "That's Naruto." She still remembered the night that she had given Naruto the fox pendant he now wore. Granted, she had been asleep when he had taken it from her hand, but she had been right about him – he was a possessor of great magic. No matter how he grew, he was able to change others around him for the better. It was a part of who he was.

Despite that, Sakura knew that Chisoku was trying to distract her by latching on to the new subject, and she pursed her lips. "So you really can't tell me?"

As they reached the doors to the hospital, Chisoku stopped and looked away nervously. For a moment, he paced, muttering something under his breath until he glanced at Sakura and whispered, "Promise you won't tell him I told you? He'll have my head, you know."

Sakura nodded intently, curiosity peaked. Maybe Kaori wasn't the only one that could charm somebody.

"Well, he asked me to watch over you. He was worried because your chakra was still a little low. Besides, Takai will probably be making its move very soon – within the next day or two at the latest. He's busy training to perfect Hiraishin before those ronin move in, and he just wanted to know you were safe," the fox finished softly.

For some reason, anger curled in her chest, masking the hurt and offense she felt. Her eyebrows slammed together as she glared at Chisoku. "So he doesn't trust me to take care of myself? Oh, and I suppose he can take care of himself just fine! He can go and get completely chakra drained and almost die, but I have to be safe. He can do whatever he wants because of that damn bijuu inside of him…"

"Er… Sakura-san?"

"But I'm only a measly medic with just a little chakra. I mean, sure my chakra reserves are relatively small, but they're larger than Ino's and just as large as Tsunade-sama's! I can fight. I can hold my own in battle. I can't believe him!" she growled as she stomped through the doors to the hospital.

"But Sakura-san! Sakura-san!"

She didn't care that Chisoku was desperately hurrying after her. Red dots were swimming in front of her eyes. How dare Naruto try to imply that she couldn't take care of herself! She had beaten Sasori, two of Takai's members (even thought they had only been at half strength or so), and had mastered at least three-fourths of Tsunade's medical ninjutsu.

"Ah! Sakura-san! T-There's someone that w-would l-like to speak w-w-with you!" the receptionist said worriedly, brow knitted at the expression on Sakura's face. "Ano, they're in M-Masaki-sama's office…!" the girl trailed as Sakura stormed past her and down the hall. She just had to quickly run to the third floor and rein in her temper before she got there.

It really was amazing how large the Amegakure hospital was. The first floor was dedicated to the receptionist's desk and the minor and somewhat everyday patients such as children with colds or genin that had yet to fully understand their chakra and the chakra of others. The second floor was for the more serious injuries or even the common ones. But the largest space occupied on the second floor was the event or lecture hall towards the back of the hospital. She had seen students gathered in that room many times, practicing medical techniques as Masaki watched to make sure they were done correctly. The third floor of the hospital housed the ICU, but only half of it was dedicated to patients since there weren't too many situations requiring intensive care. The rest were offices, and at the end of the hall was Masaki's office.

"Hai?" she asked as pleasantly as possible as soon as she opened the door. It took her a moment to register just who was in Masaki's office. Her anger deflated immediately. "Amekage Eiji!"

00000

The training field was back to normal. Naruto swore there was some special jutsu on every training ground that allowed it to go back to exactly as it had been no matter how badly it had been mutilated during a team's training.

"Ma, Sakura isn't going to be too happy when she finds out you asked Chisoku to watch over her."

Naruto blinked, cheeks flushing. "We haven't heard anything from Takai in a while. I feel like it's the calm before the storm, and they'll just suddenly strike and we'll be unable to do anything about it. I just want Sakura to be safe. Chisoku can hear things that maybe Sakura can't, and can give her a heads up before she's attacked."

Kakashi nodded. "Smart. But you know she won't see it that way."

"If Chisoku tells her then she'll be mad, but he promised he wouldn't."

_You don't really believe that, do you?_ Kyuubi smirked.

Naruto growled. _Oh, so now your all nice and pleasant and interested in whatever I do. You're a real help, you know that, fox?_

_Che,_ the demon snorted. _Whatever, Twerp. I'm just stating the obvious: Chisoku likes Sakura. Maybe not like in the way of love, but he still likes her all the same. She has charms now that would even tempt the Uchiha whelp._

_Wait, what?_ Naruto spluttered. _What do you mean by "charms?" She wouldn't… I mean we're… would she?_

Kyuubi chuckled. _You have already been entrapped in her charms so I won't bother pointing them out. It's her secret after all._ Naruto growled, but the demon continued. _Still, I commend you on entrusting her safety to that fox. I wouldn't have, but then again, you're more trusting than I'll ever be._

That was true. Even from the small snippets Naruto had learned of the life Kyuubi had lived before being sealed inside a human, he knew that the only person the demon had truly trusted was Emiko. She had been the only thing important to him, but people that she had trusted betrayed her.

_Hmm, I suppose I trust you, too,_ the demon thought. _Besides pushing people away, and the fact that there's one, maybe two promises that you haven't kept, you've proven yourself trustworthy for quite a few years._

_Did you have to bring up the promises?_ Naruto groaned.

This time, there was no humor present in Kyuubi's face. _You know the Uchiha is here, and will present himself soon. What will you do when that happens? I know you want Sakura safe and that she wants to fight. But will you honor her wishes or seek to keep her hidden?_

Naruto opened his mouth, but nothing came. He didn't know what he would do now. Dread had slowly been working its way through his chest, as if it knew something terrible was going to happen. Now that he and Sakura were together, his concern had jumped to an all-new high. He wasn't just worried that something would happen to her – he was frantic.

_And you know why._ The demon's voice echoed through his mind.

_Yes,_ he whispered, voice cracking slightly. If something were to happen to her, it would be the end of him. All he had ever wanted was a chance to show her that she could be happy with him, that he would love her with everything he had. This whole trip he had been given a glimpse of what it would be like to be with her, and just last night (he didn't care if it was three days ago because he had been asleep for it) she had accepted him.

"Naruto?"

The blonde snapped out of his mind, the Kyuubi's presence fading to the background. But the demon was still there, his question hanging in the empty spaces that refused to let him push the thought out of his head.

"Gomen, Kaka-sensei," he murmured. "Did you ask me something?"

"Ah, yes well…" Seeing the jounin stumble over his words was enough to let Naruto push the upsetting thoughts from his mind. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "You see, I have the feeling that Sakura asked you to do something, since she was needed at the hospital and couldn't do it herself."

It was a moment before Naruto understood. "Oh, _that_. Er…" He really didn't want to beat up his sensei. Hell, if he had to admit it, Naruto would have done the same thing if he had been in Kakashi's shoes. Well, almost the same thing. "She asked me to beat you up since she couldn't do it herself."

The jounin sighed, then cast a sideways glance at the boy beside him. "I won't tell if you won't."

A small smile crept its way onto Naruto's face as he slapped Kakashi's outstretched hand. "Deal."

00000

Amekage Eiji sat in the chair behind the office desk. He smiled genuinely, then motioned to Masaki. "You know I trust you, my dear, but this is something I would like to discuss with Miss Haruno in private. Oh, and there should be an urgent case arriving soon… It would be best if you were there for the procedure, Masaki, so you can get a head start before Miss Haruno will help."

Masaki nodded, eyes flicking quickly to Sakura before she strode through the door – quite purposefully Sakura noted. She was a strange one that Masaki. Her hair dropped to the middle of her back, the platinum blond strands shining in the hospital's fluorescent lighting. Her eyes were a dark hazel, but not quite brown, and she had a very pleasing figure. Sakura wasn't sure why Masaki always seem to scowl at her. The woman had many things that Sakura wished she had.

"Don't mind Masaki, Haruno-san," Eiji chuckled, the lines around his eyes crinkling in amusement. "She is envious of you. She has been the Head of Amegakure's hospital for almost five years now, and she earned that title when she was twenty-three. But here you are, at the young age of eighteen proving that you know more and better medicine than she does."

"Demo, I'm not trying to show off Amekage, Eiji. Please believe me," Sakura hurried to explain, hoping Amegakure's Kage wasn't going to think her ungrateful for the hospitality his village had shown her.

Eiji smiled again. "It's all right, Haruno-san. I know you aren't. That was one of the reasons I requested you and your teammate. You were said to have medical knowledge unparalleled to that of your generation. Masaki is just jealous of you; I believe she thinks you might even steal her man. But that's not the case, is it, Haruno-san?"

The medic flushed. "No, no, Amekage-sama. And please call me Sakura-san. Haruno-san makes me feel old."

"If you wish. And since you would prefer me to call you by your first name, please feel free to call me Eiji-sama or Eiji-san, whichever you prefer."

"Hai," she said softly. It was strange how much Eiji reminded her of the Sandaime, the wise old man that had defended his village and had given his life to seal Orochimaru's arms so that bastard had been unable to perform the seals over which he had become so obsessed.

"Demo…" Her head cocked in confusion. It was strange for the Amekage to request to see her personally, or to appear at the hospital for that matter. "I have a feeling that you didn't travel here to discuss names, Eiji-sama."

The Amekage chuckled again. "No. No, I'm not here for that. You are very smart, Sakura-san."

She smiled. She wasn't used to getting so many compliments in such a short amount of time. First from Chisoku and now from the Amekage. And speaking of Chisoku…

"Sakura-san! Sakura-san!" he cried, the sound of sniffling reaching her ears as she heard him stop just outside the door. "Sakura-san, please open the door!"

_Great_, Sakura sighed. Now on top of everything else she had to worry about, there was a very agitated summon fox following her every move because Naruto had asked him to. This was going to be a long day.

"Ah, gomen, Eiji-sama," she murmured, glancing irritably at the door. "Just let me get that."

Chisoku really needed to learn some tact. Eiji looked way too amused at the situation for Sakura's liking, but she still opened the door. At least it showed that she was gaining better control of her temper. It was only noon and she had already been tested too many times for her to count. Then again, if there were any more instances, she might just throw someone through a wall.

"What?" she whispered hotly, glaring at Chisoku.

He was panting; he must have run through almost the entire hospital trying to find her. "Listen, you asked me to tell you, so I did!" The fox looked like he was going to say something else, when he just closed his mouth and growled. He glanced away, looking around the room before muttering, "What the hell am I doing? I don't beg, especially for him. I'm a summoning fox, dammit."

She couldn't help but giggle as Chisoku talked to himself. It wasn't often that she got to see a powerful and respected summon fox act like this. It calmed her nerves, completely diminishing the anger that she had felt earlier. When she covered her mouth to keep from laughing too hard, Chisoku turned to her, a glare on his face and his lips twisted into a pout (if foxes could pout, that is).

"Sakura-san?"

"Oh!" she gasped, whirling around to face Eiji, hand still on her mouth. "I'm sorry, Eiji-sama!" She turned to Chisoku. "Hurry and get in here! Ahem, Chisoku, this is Eiji-sama, the Amekage. Eiji-sama, this is Chisoku."

Eiji's raised eyebrows were the only sign that he was surprised Chisoku was a fox. As Sakura closed the door Chisoku trotted into the room, red eyes fixed on the old man behind the desk. The fox appraised Eiji, looking over him until he nodded, sure that the medic he guarded wasn't in danger. Sakura did look annoyed at his blatant show of mistrust toward the Amekage, but he was just doing his job.

She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Eiji-sama. Please continue." When Eiji glanced at the fox, Sakura waved her hand. "He's a summon, and you don't have to worry about his loyalty. It's all right if he hears what you have to say."

For the moment, Eiji deliberated, but nodded in acquiescence. "Sakura-san, I believe we have a leak."

"Nani?"

The Amekage rubbed his eyes, leaning forward and folding his hands on top of the desk. "I think there is someone who is secretly working for Takai, and they're leaking information from the school. I do not know what the information is, but they seem to be divulging _times_. Whether it is times of the school or the hospital, I do not know, either. But something is happening, and I was wondering where you stood on the matter."

The medic blinked, completely taken aback by this new knowledge. She really wasn't sure who would be sneaky enough to get away with this for so long, but there was something else getting in the way.

"Eiji-sama, Naruto and I don't even know who these missing nin are that you originally hired us to find. The only way that we even knew that Samanji and Izanami were a part of Takai was because they used that replacement jutsu to stall Naito and I as we travelled to Konoha. But neither of them seem suited to the position as a leader. We went over this with our back-up squad, and Nara Shikamaru, the one in charge, agreed with us. There has to be someone else, and we know nothing about them."

"I was afraid of that," Eiji murmured, glancing out the windows at the back of Masaki's office. As he stared through the glass, Sakura studied the Amekage. It was obvious that he was very smart. He never seemed to speak unless it was completely necessary, and though he looked a bit older than his age, she supposed it was simply because of life. After all, what shinobi life was always carefree?

"You see, Sakura-san," he began, rough voice low and withdrawn with thought. "I have a theory about who might be at the head of Takai." He turned his sharp eyes on Sakura. "The reason your mission report lacked significant information was because I didn't know, either. After your encounter with Samanji and Izanami, I searched the records of the two local orphanages in this village.

"At the time, no one thought that a boy of Samanji's age could murder his parents." Sakura gasped, but Eiji pressed on. "He was never in an orphanage, but became friends with one of South Orphanage's residents: Yasutora Izanami. Before long, both left the village; he was fourteen and she was twelve. The next morning, there were ten cases of badly injured chuunin, and the two were pronounced missing ninja.

"The elders of Amegakure were hesitant to label them as dangerous even though they had wounded ten chuunin; after all, they were only in their early teens, the elders had reasoned. There was no other record of them coming back to Amegakure until you alerted us to their presence. However, I agree with you. While Samanji could possess certain attributes to be a leader, he does not possess the complete and necessary skills to successfully run Takai. He is merely a pawn for the real leader."

Sakura watched the Amekage lapse into silence. This was almost too much to take in. "Eiji-sama," she started slowly, "is there any way that you have a record on what abilities those two possess? I… Well, I killed Izanami before I could assess her abilities, and while I did fight Samanji for a while, there was nothing in his movements to imply he could do anything special with his chakra."

Now, Eiji looked so much older, like he had aged decades right in front of Sakura's eyes. "If only that were true. They never attended the Academy; most orphans either don't know their lineage or come from common civilians, so they never train to even see if they have chakra. We were never able to discover what their abilities were, or are."

"Oh." Sakura fidgeted. This was definitely getting too complicated. It made her feel as if she were facing Pein again, but this time it was just her and Naruto. Sure, Shikamaru and part of Team 8 were there, but they were back up. Kakashi was here, too, but he was an overseer.

"Ah, look at me," the Amekage chuckled wryly. "I have said too much. I planned to wait to until your teammate was here with you before telling you about such theories, but it seems I have gotten ahead of myself. And, while this was important, this is not the main reason I called you here, either. It is also one of the reasons Masaki is displeased with you," Eiji smiled.

"Yes?"

Chisoku glanced quickly at the pink haired medic. "Sakura-san, remember you are low on chakra. While I am definitely not going to beg or act foolishly like I was earlier, I am not going to be responsible for you being beyond comprehension should Naruto discover you are not taking care of yourself, either."

_Well_, Sakura smiled. _At least he isn't trying to control me like before. So what if Naruto gets mad? I can take of myself, and I'll leave Chisoku out of this. Besides, Naruto and I could use a good spar._

_Shannaro!_ her Inner shouted, pumping a fist in the air.

Sakura laughed, turning her attention back to the office. "Chisoku, I'll be fine. I'll leave you out of it should something happen. I can handle Naruto just fine."

The fox nodded, lips quirking slightly, and Eiji was smiling.

"Well, Sakura-san, my main reason for asking you here was because I have noticed that you and your teammate have been frequently skipping your lessons in the Academy."

Sakura flushed. "Hai, Eiji-sama. Demo, Naruto already knows how to manipulate water, and while I'm still learning, there have been new injury cases in the hospital due to Takai, and I figured that my talents were better served here."

Eiji nodded. "I am aware of that, Sakura-san, and that is why I have called you here. After tomorrow, I am putting the Academy's lessons on hiatus. It is all right that you miss these lessons today; I actually came to ask if you would be so kind as to teach Masaki's class. It's always after noon, around one or two I would say, and while Masaki does a wonderful job of teaching, you are the most skilled medical ninja I have ever seen. And it's no wonder. You are the Godaime's apprentice."

"Arigatou, Eiji-sama, but I've never taught a class before in my life." She didn't know what was coming over the Amekage. She was only eighteen, and didn't even know if she could teach her abilities to others. Her temper was short, and her patience was thin.

"True," Eiji mused, "but I would consider it a personal favor, to me and to my entire village. I know that every village is fighting to have a chance to learn some of the Legendary Sannin's medical ninjutsu, and we have an opportunity." The Amekage leaned forward, and Sakura could tell that he was worried for his village. "I am not usually one to ask for such requests, but please help my village."

"I…" Sakura glanced around the room. She really didn't want to divulge Tsunade-sama's secrets, and in the ninja world, knowledge meant power. But she really wanted to help Eiji. He was being completely honest in his request – he just wanted those in his village to be able to acquire better medical assistance.

Suddenly, it came to her. "Hai. I'll do it," Sakura nodded determinedly. She couldn't deny the sincerity of Eiji's grateful smile.

"Thank you, Sakura-san. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."

Sakura waved her hand, unwilling to accept any more compliments than she already had. It was nice the way Eiji thought of her, but she didn't just want compliments. She wanted respect, because she could be a very deadly force should she be awakened.

"It's perfectly fine, Eiji-sama. I'll go relieve Masaki from her duty."

Eiji nodded, and with that, Sakura stepped out of the office, Chisoku on her heels. "How did you manage to agree? Isn't it against the law to share village secrets with another village?" the fox asked as they walked towards the stairs to the second floor.

The medic smiled. "You see, I don't have to tell them about how to tell one poison from another or how to know exactly what plants need to be used in accordance to the ingredients in the poison. They don't have to know about a number of Shishou's other techniques. All I have to do is make sure the medics are getting better at healing bones or learning the signs of chakra deprivation – they're things that every medic ninja needed to know."

Chisoku laughed. "No wonder you are known as the smartest kunoichi of your generation."

"How do you know that?" Sakura asked sharply.

"Naruto mentioned it once," Chisoku smiled. "I don't really remember what we had been talking about, but he had mentioned that you were the smartest kunoichi of all of the Rookie Nine. Which is your generation I presume?"

Sakura nodded, glancing down the hall once they had descended the steps. The room was in the middle of the hall and off to the left. The medic heaved a sigh. "Here goes nothing," she murmured, pushing the doors open and walking inside.

It definitely wasn't anything she was expecting. Twelve pairs of eyes stared at her, and the door loudly clicked shut behind her. Despite the noise, tension in the room spiked, and Sakura quickly turned to Masaki, remembering that she had a duty to fulfil to Eiji.

"Masaki," she started, voice soft but commanding. "Amekage Eiji-sama requested that I help you with your class. Please understand that there is nothing wrong with your teaching, it's just something I am doing for him until my teammate and I return to Konoha."

Okay, so that came out a little wrong, but Sakura really didn't want to try to explain what in the world was going on. They wouldn't dare question a request from the Amekage, at least medics wouldn't. And these were just the average ninja that had very precise chakra control. And they…

_Shit. I can't believe them_, her Inner seethed.

Sure enough, there were the four girls that had "staked" their claim on Naruto. Kotone, the pale-haired girl with that annoying voice was looking at her as if Sakura had two heads. Kotone's best friend Mekato, the girl with black hair and eyes, was just as shocked, as were the twin sisters Yumi and Yutsi. Ah, how Sakura remembered the jealousy in their eyes when they had said that Naruto was theirs. If only they knew…

A sly smile spread Sakura's lips. "Okay, class. First of all to clear the air and any and _all_ questions you might have about me, I am Haruno Sakura, apprentice to the Godaime and Slug Sannin Tsunade. I have never taught students before in my entire life, but I believe that I know enough to help you medics become much better at healing patients. Now, what have you learned so far?"

Maybe teaching wasn't so bad. It was fun to order people around…

A blond girl with shy eyes raised her hand. Sakura called on her. "What's your name?"

The girl swallowed. "My name is Yahami."

Sakura smiled genuinely. This girl might be shy, but it looked like she had a good head on her shoulders, and she was very eager to learn. "So what have you learned, Yahami?"

Yahami smiled and blushed, but answered with a confident voice. "We've learned to heal cuts and abrasions, but we haven't covered major lacerations or severely broken bones such as comminuted or spiral fractures. There aren't any cures for the common cold, but we've only had a few lessons about greenstick fractures that happen to most of the genin."

The medic's smile widened. "Thank you, Yahami. You seem to know what you're talking about." Sakura turned to the other medics in training. "Yahami knows what any medic should, and she's a prime example for everyone to follow. Being a medic requires precise chakra control, where you intimately know your limit or just what your chakra can do. Once that is done, you must know how to precisely apply the right amount of pressure or even the best technique to use on any cut or break."

The girls in the room slowly nodded their heads. _Ugh_, Sakura groaned. _They're standing there like they've never seen a real medic before._

_Let's show them! We can do it! Shannaro!_

Sakura snapped her fingers. "Come on, guys, snap out of it! I want you all to form into four groups of three, almost as if you were on a regular genin squad." Everyone stood still, eyes wide. "Move!" Sakura shouted.

With a round of hurriedly muttered 'hai's' the medics jerked to attention and formed their groups, Kotone and Mekato the slowest moving of them all. Kotone was frowning, brow furrowed in a pout, and Sakura felt that despite the fact that Tsunade had probably meant for this to stay a secret, it really was something that every medic ninja needed to know. She turned toward the four groups.

"Now, what is the most important thing a medic must do?"

Lazily, Kotone raised her hand. Sakura hoped to Kami she was wrong. "Yes, Kotone?"

"It's to keep all of our teammates safe and healed."

_Yes!_ The pink haired medic's face broke into a wicked grin.

"What?"

"Are you sure of that answer?"

"Yeah."

"Positive?"

"Of course."

"Wrong!"

"Nani?"

Numerous gasps floated through the air, surprised that Kotone had gotten something wrong when Sakura whirled around, eyes flashing angrily (even though she wasn't mad, she was just _trying_ to look mad). "Does anyone else have a guess?" she asked forcefully.

The whispers stopped.

"It is to make sure that they themselves are safe, because without a medic, someone could die," Yahami spoke quietly.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Yahami smiled and blushed, but didn't say anything else.

"Well done, Yahami," Sakura praised. "You didn't have all of the answer, but you were close." The pink haired woman turned to the rest of the medics. "A medic must instinctively know how to dodge. Should we get hurt, our teammates would be out of help should they need healing. Our top priority is to stay out of the fray, and should we be attacked, we _must_ dodge."

"Are you going to teach us to dodge, Sakura-san?" Yahami asked.

"Ah, perhaps a little. Healing is a top priority, and we must focus on how to heal more efficiently. If there is time, I might teach you all to dodge."

The medics nodded, eyes focusing on their work as Sakura proceeded to tell them about one of the most basic healing procedures. It involved various cuts and scrapes, and within two hours everyone was doing much better. Lacerations were proving a little difficult, but with practice and determination the students were absorbing Sakura's teaching like a sponge.

"You know, Sakura-san," Chisoku began softly, not wanting to alert the other medics to his presence. "You should teach more often. You are obviously very good at it."

"Really? You think so?"

The fox nodded. "I can tell they like you. That pale-haired girl and her best friend hold a grudge, I believe, but everyone else seems to like your teaching."

It was hard for Sakura to believe. "That's… really good to hear."

Once cuts were mastered (for the day at least), Sakura went on to describe the different kinds of fractures and breaks a bone might sustain. It was difficult business trying to get the girls to remember the proper names as well as what happened with each of them, but after half an hour, it seemed to be sinking in a bit.

Suddenly, two loud _poofs_ echoed through the room, and everyone jumped. Sakura's fist was cocked, ready to pound the person should it be an intruder or Takai, but she relaxed once the smoke cleared.

"Naruto? Kaka-sensei?"

"Yo."

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan."

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked. Her students were watching the whole interaction with rapt attention, and she tried to ignore them. But once Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, Sakura put her head in her hand. "Don't answer that. What's hurt this time?" she sighed.

The blonde laughed sheepishly. "Kakashi got me good when I was working on speed. Damn his Sharingan…"

The jounin's eye crinkled.

Sakura stepped toward the two ninja, palms already glowing with chakra before a sudden thought entered her mind. She paused, glancing back at the medics watching her every move, especially Kotone and Mekato. Truthfully, Sakura hadn't thought of those two in a long time, even though she had been attending the Academy classes. Her thoughts had been occupied, what with Takai and the way Naruto had been acting around her.

But Sakura was first and foremost a girl, and girls like Sakura didn't just let slaps across the face slide. She wouldn't punch Kotone senseless (no matter how much she wanted to), but something like this required tact combined with truth as well as just a little bit of flirting to up the jealousy, of course.

"Class," Sakura began. "Gather around Naruto. He and my sensei Kakashi have volunteered to demonstrate the things that you have been learning today."

Kakashi laughed nervously, a small sweat drop slipping down his temple.

Naruto paled.

"Gomen, Sakura-san!" a woman suddenly yelled as she burst into the classroom. "I am so sorry! I had a patient waiting downstairs and he wouldn't let me go! And then I couldn't find out where you were!"

Sakura turned in surprise toward the woman, but smiled. The medic was young, about a year or two younger than Sakura, but she was a fast learner. Her name was Chihiro, and she had been Sakura's assistant for almost as long as Sakura had been working at Amegakure's hospital. She had dark brown hair – almost black – and dark turquoise eyes.

"It's fine, Chihiro. I didn't know I was teaching today, either, but my teammates volunteered to be examples on healing procedures, so you're just in time."

"Demo, Sakura-san…"

The pink haired medic waved her hand. "Like I said, don't worry about it." She turned to the rest of the medics swarmed around her blond teammate, trying not to laugh at his petrified face. "Now, first you must assess the injuries. Naruto, please take off your shirt."

Blond eyebrows rose, and he swallowed thickly, glancing around nervously at the medics pressed in a tight circle. "Er… take off… my shirt?"

Sakura nodded, knowing by the stiffening of his shoulders he had caught the quick glint in her eyes. Every single pair of eyes from the twelve medics in the room were glued to Naruto. Yahami and Chihiro were the only ones trying not to openly stare, but they couldn't help it either. Both had soft pink blushes adorning their cheeks, and the pink haired medic looked away, slightly guilty.

Yet the jealousy on Kotone and Mekato's faces would be simply priceless, and as Naruto lifted his shirt, Kotone's eyes filled with a quiet hunger.

_Oh, yes. This will be sweet revenge_, her Inner chuckled wickedly.

Sakura grinned to herself. _For once I completely agree with you._

Her Inner scoffed. _Oh, you agree with me all the time. Your stubbornness just gets in the way too often._

_Hey!_

_See? I told you._

The medic growled inwardly, but watched as Naruto finally got his shirt of his head. She glanced at Kotone and Mekato, both watching her teammate eagerly. A collective gasp ran through the medics, and Naruto looked up at Sakura, almost pleading with her to let him go. She smiled, minutely shaking her head. She couldn't tell him now, but she would explain later.

"So, class, assess my teammate's injuries."

Many of the girls were answering, trying to prove that they were correct. Most of Naruto's injuries were minor – just cuts that could be healed quickly. But there were a few she was still worried about. Faint pink lines scratched over his back, remnants of the lacerations from a few nights ago when he had been training with Chisoku. The girls were trying to name what the scratches were, but Sakura silenced them with her hand.

"You are all correct. However, those scratches on his back will turn into scars if they aren't continuously healed." Most of the girls raised their hands, trying to volunteer to heal him, but with a harsh command they quieted. "Medics should always understand that just looking over a patient is not enough. They need to have extremely sharp eyes, to be able to spot anything below the surface. Who noticed that he was holding the left side of his torso stiffly?"

No one raised a hand.

"Who noticed that his right shoulder is slightly sore?"

Again, no one answered.

"That is the biggest thing about a medic. Knowing that he was training, he has to have some other injury besides simple cuts. Kakashi-sensei has an injured knee and a torn ligament, as well as what seems to be a similar injury to one of Naruto's on his torso." She went on to state the numerous cuts and scrapes that adorned Kakashi's skin, and the jounin's eye slowly grew wider.

"Maa, I'm not that badly cut, Sakura."

The medic smiled. "Oh, not yet you aren't. But you will be." She turned to her students, pleased to see Kakashi freeze where he stood. "Now, adjust your chakra like this, and that way you can check the rest of the body for injuries." Her palm glowed green, and she quickly and efficiently scanned her teammate's body. However, as she progressed, the smile disappeared, and her frown deepened. Naruto gulped.

"Naruto," she whispered grimly. Ugh, he was such an idiot.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Since I need to address a new problem that came up, I will show you all how to properly heal cuts as quickly as possible. Watch closely." The medics watched, Kotone's eyes glinting angrily as Sakura gently placed her hands on Naruto's stomach. She was very aware of her teammate's gaze as she threaded her chakra like a needle, encouraging the cells to divide from the inside out. Soon, the cut healed, and she moved to another one.

Quickly, her eyes met his, and a blush spread across her cheekbones. She wasn't used to him looking at her with such intensity, and it made her embarrassed in front of everyone here – especially Kakashi and Chisoku. Her stomach jumped, but she glanced away, routinely healing all of his cuts.

In no time at all, she was addressing the faint lines on his back. She hurriedly spoke to her students, making sure they understood the basics before proceeding to heal her teammate. A small grunt – barely discernable through the other medics' low, excited chatter – reached Sakura's ears, and her eyes tightened.

When he grunted again, she whispered, "Almost done!"

He nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she finished. He twirled his shoulders, checking for pain, and turned to smile at her when he realized there was none.

"Okay, class. You can practice your skills to heal my sensei."

Though many were excited about that fact (after all, Kakashi wasn't too old and still had his looks about him), Kotone fixed Sakura with a glare, sepia eyes glowing ominously. Sakura smiled, completely unaffected. With the way these medics were trained, their power was nothing compared to hers. She faced Naruto, the smile staying there.

"What is it?"

"She's seething with jealousy."

"Nani?"

"Nevermind. I'll tell you later."

"So you were doing this to make one of them jealous?"

"Like I said: later."

Naruto scoffed as her hands found his skin again, but her mind was focused. His chakra coils were still sore, and that accounted for their condition. Naruto was forcing his chakra through the small spaces, and it was taking its toll on his body. She could feel Kyuubi's chakra swirling through the blonde's system, so she sharpened her chakra, pulling at the demon's energy and mixing it with hers. With the combined chakra, she was able to ease Naruto's coils almost effortlessly.

But everything was swirling. Her stomach felt slightly nauseas as her head spun, but the energy was overwhelming. She had never fully been influenced by the demon's chakra, and feeling it slip and mix with her chakra, even just through the palm of her hand, was addicting. She could feel so much limitless power. It was mesmerizing that with the slightest tap into this energy, she would be able to crush a skull with just one finger, or to cause detrimental damage to a ninja's organs.

Originally, she could do that by herself, but with this power, it was ridiculous how easy it would be. Actually laying a hand on someone would be hard, but once she did, they would be dead. The slightest power joined to her normal punches would probably cause a mountainous landslide that could destroy a small portion of the Hokage Mountain.

At least, that's just what her mind calculated.

_He's very happy to be with you. He really does deserve this chance._

The medic gasped.

"Sakura?"

"Oh! Sorry."

He seemed afraid to go on. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine. It was… nothing, really."

She ignored Naruto's skeptical gaze. That voice definitely hadn't been her Inner. It was too deep, too coarse, too commanding and ringing with absolutely authority. _Kyuubi?_

It wasn't that she didn't like the demon; she was sure that he could be nice when he wanted to be. She had seen a bit of his true self that one time, but it baffled her at the demon's ability to speak to her through a chakra connection, or to pull her into his world when she had simply touched Naruto's seal.

"Sakura-san?" Chihiro started. "We're finished with Kakashi-sama."

The medic nodded quickly. "Right. Naruto, you're done." At the look in his eyes, she bit her lip, wondering if she should when she threw all caution to the wind. She bent down, brushing her lips past his until her breath was softly puffing on his ear. She felt his pulse quicken. "I'll be waiting when you're done training," she whispered.

He shivered.

"Naruto? Shall we?"

There was a worried note in Kakashi's voice. Even if Sakura hadn't managed to get him for reading _Icha Icha_ to Kaori, he had a good enough scare by having the other twelve medics work on him. And it wasn't necessarily that they were flirting. She had seen a few of them make mistakes, and it sent a thrill through her blood.

"Uh, sure, Kaka-sensei," he murmured, taking one last glance at Sakura. He took one step toward Sakura, hand snaking around her waist. "And I'll train hard," he whispered back, suddenly disappearing in a puff of smoke.

_At least he knows to play back_, she thought, but a shiver raced down her spine as she remembered.

_I think he knows much, much more…_

_Hey, that's not! I mean I shouldn't—I can't think about that!_

_Really?_

_Well, I… It's just…_

Her Inner laughed wickedly. _They're staring at you._

Sakura hurriedly gathered her bearings, turning to her students. They were all eager, demanding that she continue to teach them. She was already over the time allotted anyway, but she grudgingly obliged.

"Demo, Sakura-san, do I have to stay here?" Chisoku asked loudly as he lounged on one of the tables in the room.

Thirteen pairs of eyes stared, blinking occasionally before most screamed and started throwing things at the talking fox. Sakura placed her head in her hands, thinking about how much she wanted to be back in the room, talking with Naruto.

This was going to be a long day.

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**A/N:** Phew, it's done. Wow, this was a long chapter as well – **42 pages**. I mean, I love writing, these chapters are just sooooooooooooooooo long. Well, I'm sure you guys like the long chapters – more to read since I don't update often =). I just wanted you guys to know that chapters might be a bit sporadic now. I'm in my sophomore semester, and I have micro-economics, diseases, math, speech, and a computer class. I will try to get as much done as possible so I can upload the chapters. Now, this doesn't mean that I will stop writing this story. Chapters might be slow, but I promise that no matter what, this story will continue to be written. I love this story; it's one of the best I've ever done, and I have so much planned for the end, so I've got enough excitement to at least continue writing even if it's slow.

Well, now that that explanation is over, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter. It got a bit quick at the end, I know, because I was just wanted to get this stupid chapter OUT, haha. Lemme know if any parts were really weird if you really liked certain parts as well =). I mean, the hospital scene didn't go exactly as I had imagined it, but I think it's all right for now.

Until next time…

- wolf's paradise


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N**: Hello everyone. So here's chapter 19. I am strangely a bit miffed while writing this chapter, and while I shouldn't be miffed, I am. You see, I've had so much freakin homework to do, and it's ridiculously annoying. I mean, really. Ugh. So I apologize for this chapter being late. I couldn't work on it as much as I'd like because I've been strangely scatterbrained this past week, and have just blanked on schoolwork that I really need to fix my head. But, if it was homework pertaining to the classes in my major, I'd be fine. But no.

Oh, whatever. Anyway, things really get heated in this chapter – and I don't mean between Naruto and Sakura. Epic-ness be ready to be shot in the ass by ME! Sorry, I just really wanted to say that. But honestly. I kinda think I out-did myself with the way this whole thing is going to turn out. I mean, so many freakin twists and turns that I'm getting confused, and I'm the author. But it makes me excited to write. I hope you guys like this chapter, and be ready for cliffies because they're back in style!

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Chapter Nineteen

"Kaka-sensei?" Naruto murmured as the two ninja sat against two large trees. Chisoku was curled next to another oak, dozing in the setting sun.

Training had gone well. Naruto still had a lot of work to do before he perfected Hiraishin, but now that he had acquired the speed, it was a lot easier to jump through that small hole in space.

"Hai?"

"Why didn't my father want me to know about him? Why would he tell you about him and my mother if it was all some big secret?" For the past two days, he had been talking to the summon frogs, learning a few things about his parents, though it wasn't much. Jiraiya probably knew the most, but asking him was out of the question. The only person left was Kakashi.

For a long time, the jounin was silent as he stared at the sky. "The frogs told you."

It wasn't a question. Naruto blushed slightly. "Just a bit. All I found out was that my mother was from another village in the Fire Country, and that their love was kept secret. They didn't know too much other than that."

Still, Kakashi didn't move, and Naruto had the feeling that the jounin was reminiscing about the events of the past. He still remembered when Sakura had talked to him, saying that Kakashi had had a hard life as well. He really did need to give the jounin more credit, and even if his sensei wouldn't speak of it now, Naruto had worked on patience. There were always other times.

"As you have heard," Kakashi started quietly, "my teammate Obito died in the Third Ninja War, and gave me his eye as a present for becoming a jounin. Hardly appropriate at the time, but that was Obito."

Kakashi sighed, still staring at the sky as he slowly scratched his head. "Two months later, the war ended, but as the enemy was retreating, Rin was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Suddenly, I was the only student Minato had left, and Jiraiya had disappeared elsewhere to check the other villages' statuses. I was the only one he could talk to, and I suppose he felt it was necessary since his other students were gone."

"What do you mean?"

The jounin shrugged. "Even those Minato's age didn't know about him and Kushina."

"How did my father know when to tell you?"

"Wars age people – especially ninja. He felt I was ready."

Naruto twitched, shifting slightly. "Did you… ever get to meet my mother?"

Underneath his mask, Kakashi's lips pulled into a half smile. "Yes, I did. And you're every bit the stubborn loudmouth that she was."

"Really?" Naruto blinked. He wasn't sure if he liked being called a stubborn loudmouth, but to be so much like his mother, and to look like his father was something that he couldn't describe. It made him feel honored, proud, and all those other things that one felt when they found out their parents were amazing.

"She would always talk to her stomach, trying to impress words of wisdom even though you couldn't understand a word she said. She cooked for me, and Minato invited me over most of the time, but I still wonder if it's because we were both so shocked about losing both teammates in such a short amount of time."

Naruto looked at the ground. "But if they loved me that much, why couldn't I know about them?"

Kakashi sighed again, almost as if he couldn't believe Naruto didn't know this already. "Naruto, you need to understand how many enemies Minato had. Even people in Amegakure are still afraid of him. You heard that meeting where Akane was telling them about who you were. Minato was a major player in the war, and if everyone knew about you and your mother, you two would have been the most important targets in that war."

"Oh."

"As strict as Minato was, there was no one he loved more than you and Kushina. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if something had happened to you."

"I… I wish I could have met him," Naruto murmured quietly. He really did want to meet his parents. They sounded wonderful, the type of parents that he had always wanted his entire life, and he wanted to meet them so badly.

_I'm sorry, Naruto._

_For what?_ The blonde was surprised. Kyuubi rarely called him by his actual name.

_Well, it is my fault that they aren't here…_

_Oh…_ The blonde rubbed his neck. _It's okay, Kyuubi. What happened, happened, and there isn't anything I can do about it._ Naruto laughed softly._ You know, when Jiraiya died, I got so mad because I couldn't fix everything; I couldn't save him or tell him how much of a father he was to me._

For a while, Naruto was silent, and the demon rested his head on his paws. _But now?_ he prodded.

_I realize that I can't change everything, but I can make the most of what has happened and use it to help the future._

_Che, don't go all sentimental on me,_ Kyuubi chuckled.

Naruto smiled. _Yeah, well, you can get sentimental yourself, Kyuubi._

The demon fox shrugged, smiling slightly, but he didn't answer, so Naruto turned to his sensei, another question on his mind. "Sensei, why were you supposed to tell me and not Jiraiya-sama?"

"Hmm…" Kakashi thought, almost as if he were deciding whether or not this was something he wanted to tell his student. Naruto waited, hoping the jounin would tell him, and his patience was rewarded. "Jiraiya was going to be gone most of the time, using his spy networks for Konoha's benefit as well as making sure no rumors started about Minato having a son. I was the only one Minato knew would be there."

"What about jiji-sama?"

"Sandaime was a great ninja, but he was old. Minato wasn't sure how much longer he would live, so he told me everything, and to tell you when you were ready. He made me promise to be a teacher when it was time for you to graduate from the Academy. With a little help from the Sandaime, I was able to take over your team."

So that was how he had gotten on Kakashi's team. Naruto always felt that there was a bit more behind the training, such as the bell test and making sure that teamwork was an essential attribute that his team learned.

"You were a good teacher, Kakashi," Naruto said quietly. There were plenty of things that Kakashi could have done better, but when Naruto looked back, Kakashi had been there for him. Not knowing Naruto's chakra element had been a setback, but just like now, perhaps Kakashi hadn't been sure if Naruto was ready to learn everything.

"Don't make excuses for me, Naruto." Kakashi stood but didn't look at him; his eyes were on the sky.

"I'm not. You were, and still are." Naruto stood, too. Kakashi had his hands resting awkwardly in his pockets, and Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. The jounin glanced away, black eye tightening a bit.

"I just hope I can do one thing right."

Despite being surprised that Kakashi had divulged such a secret to him, Naruto let a half smile split his lips as he stared at the ground and kicked a piece of dirt. "You are. You're teaching me. You're letting me learn the things that my father would've shown me."

Kakashi's one eye widened, and Naruto knew that the jounin hadn't been expecting that. Still, Naruto stepped towards him, holding out his hand. It was the only thing he knew how to do to give the jounin an opportunity to know Naruto did not hold him accountable for things that had happened long ago. The jounin chuckled and took the offered hand, the tense air shattered. It was comfortable again, and the two turned to stare at the Academy.

"Are you done training? I think we made excellent progress on Hiraishin today."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I'm beat; but I'm getting close, right?"

"I wouldn't lie to you about something like that."

"Fair enough."

"You and Sakura getting dinner?"

"Nah. She said she had to work late at the hospital. Apparently there were some serious cases that came in today, and she's had to work overtime almost all afternoon. She told me to go ahead and take Kaori to eat without her." Naruto glanced at the jounin slyly. "You could come, too. Kaori misses jiji-sama."

Kakashi rolled his eyes complacently. "I'm only thirty-two."

"You're still jiji-sama to her."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Naruto, did I ever tell you about the time that—"

"Otou-san! Jiji-sama!" an excited voice suddenly yelled. Naruto couldn't help it. He burst out laughing.

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She watched him, eyes appraising, glittering with unsuppressed lust. Not that he would acknowledge it of course. He was only doing this because he didn't want to die. Ah, how sad it was when people realized you betrayed them. Of course, they didn't know it until you told them.

But she could see him walking towards her, and knew what was on his mind. Her lair (if that's what it could be called) was quite plain. It was an old warehouse that had been abandoned sometime during the Third Ninja War, when she and Daichi had stumbled upon it back in their genin days. Well, she had been a genin and he had been a chuunin.

It was an interesting time. The War was raging out of control, and she had no idea what abilities she had. Her water jutsu was limited, and she hadn't yet come of age to start using her kekkai genki. Enemy ninja had invaded Amegakure, and had wanted to kill any potential ninja that could become an asset to the country. She and Daichi had just barely managed to escape.

A smile stretched her lips. It was hard to believe that she had only been nine when the War plagued the ninja villages, but she had learned a lot about reality and the fickle world in which she had grown.

He stopped a few yards away, hands in his pockets, stringy red hair hiding his eyes. Her smile widened, and she stepped forward, dangling a hand in front of him before letting it slip over his shoulders. He tensed. "Come, now, Daichi. We're friends, right? Why stand so far away from me?"

Lips tightened. "Stop it."

"Tsk, tsk," she scolded playfully.

"Stop it!" he snapped.

Her face changed. Eyebrows slammed over piercing eyes, and her lips pulled back over her teeth, countenance expressing every bit of fury she felt. She pulled her hand away. "You want to say something, Daichi?"

"I said stop it. I'm not here for you. I never was, and never will be."

"You never objected before."

"And you never meant anything to me except the title they gave you. You don't have anything else." He looked straight ahead, refusing to look at her, a blatant show of defiance and disrespect. Oh, how he would pay.

She whirled away, standing apart before she lost her temper. It didn't matter if she lost it in front of her subordinates. They were working for her, but she couldn't lose her temper in front of Daichi – not right now. He had to think he had a chance, because now that she owned him, she would make sure that she was the last one as well.

"You think it meant something, didn't you?" he mocked, realization leaking into his voice. "You thought it was real. Well, wake up, wake up, Akemi. Life isn't free, you know."

"Don't call me that," she snarled.

It didn't matter that she only came up to his shoulders. She somehow managed to stare down at him, as if he was the lesser being. "I knew it never meant anything," she defended, hiding the fact that Daichi was much closer to the mark than she liked.

"And you don't like your own name, Akemi?"

He was getting cocky, but she had to let him think he was winning. She had to let him think that, to be alive a little longer, because things would get bad if he disappeared now. She had to have control. But he wouldn't get away with this – not for much longer. She wasn't called Shuhan for nothing.

"I gave up my name long ago," she said breezily, breath coming easier now that she had reined her temper. Once again she was the cool seductress she always had been.

Daichi scoffed. "Sure you did."

"You don't believe me?"

"Obviously."

"Daichi, Daichi," she scolded lightly, running a hand over his shoulders again. "I never liked being part of that stupid clan. Too many girls vying for attention that none of them deserved. I had the most talent out of all of them."

His shoulders tensed. "You were always jealous of her."

"Jealous of my sister? Never." She walked away, swinging her hips. "She might have had the better face, but I have the better body _and_ the better talent."

"You were jealous of her because she could get what she wanted." His voice was shaking, almost as if he was angry, or trying to control himself from shouted. "And even now you're still jealous."

She scoffed. "Jealous. Yeah, right. I can't believe her dream was to teach stupid Academy students. How pathetic is that?"

"It's not pathetic."

"Oh, right. Because you do it, too. How could I have forgotten?" she mocked, stepping away from him as she moved around, her back continuously facing Daichi. She didn't have anything to fear from him.

"Akemi…"

"Oh, yes! How could I have forgotten that, too?" She stopped, waving her arms around. "My sister came back from Suna to help teach this stupid ninja program." A simpering smile slipped across her lips as she glanced over her shoulder. "Such a smart thing for her to do."

Daichi barely rolled his eyes. Akemi turned away again. She was playing with his mind, and he knew it. He shifted slightly, angling his shoulder away from her, body language clear. He wanted this over – now.

"What am I here for, Akemi?"

"I need minions."

"You would say that," he growled.

"And?"

"No."

"Really?" she challenged, stepping towards him. He took an automatic step back. Her smile turned wicked.

"Stop."

"Make me."

His jaw clenched. "You're being childish."

She took another step. He reciprocated.

"Akemi, _stop_ it."

"Make me," she repeated, licking her lips and placing her hands on her hips.

"I—" He shut his mouth.

"That's what I thought."

"Look—"

"I want back-up, Daichi." She examined her nails. "I have a feeling some things might go wrong, and I want insurance. You have access to a few ANBU, correct?"

He nodded unwillingly.

"Good. Fellow jounin work, too. I'm sure you can find someone to help you." Her eyes ticked to the side. A flicker of chakra glimmered in the distance. Ah, there they were. "Now go. You can't be missed."

She dismissed him with nothing but a wave of her hand. It felt nice to dismiss people like they didn't matter. Well, Daichi mattered, but he wouldn't soon. She would make herself forget about him; she would make herself not care.

It was just infuriatingly hard to let go of a seven year feud.

He grunted, but turned away, disappearing into the gathering darkness within seconds. Her attention moved to the chakra signature, but her eyebrows rising when Samanji was the only one that appeared. In his arms was a kunoichi.

"Where's Izanami?"

Samanji shrugged. "Said she had something to do. She should be back within the hour."

"Che, you're late."

"So?"

Eyes hardened to steel. "What did you say?" She took a step towards him, lifting her fingers. "You know I can make you do it. And just like that—" fingers snapped, and Samanji winced, "you can be dead of your own doing."

He waited, but nothing came. Shuhan lowered her hand. At least she could instill fear. She couldn't make him do anything unless she touched him or was close to his face, but he didn't know that. Her eyes moved to the kunoichi in the man's arms. She was fighting slightly, but Samanji had a good grip on her hair, and no doubt it hurt if she fought too much. "Who's she?"

"She's the assistant to that medic you've got your eyes on. Don't know the bitch's name, though. Izanami just told me she was the closest to our target."

"Bastard!" the medic spat. "Let go of me!" Her body writhed, fighting his hold, an elbow finally making contact near his groin. Samanji growled, and she fought harder. "You'll never get Sakura-san! Never!"

Samanji pulled her up by her dark locks until his lips were at her neck. A pained yelp slipped through her throat, and she bit her lip to keep quiet. "Well, you don't know us, then, little one," he growled, a finger tracing her cheek.

She jerked her head away, refusing to give up even though tears of pain were coursing down her cheeks. "My name is Chihiro," she snarled.

Akemi felt it was time for her to butt in before Samanji's obsession got in the way of his common sense. She bent toward the young medic, face smiling, yet completely devoid of any feeling whatsoever. "Don't worry, little Chihiro. It won't be _that_ painful."

00000

Today had been hell. Not only had a jounin come in with three cracked ribs and a broken femur, but there had also been someone else infected with poison as well as someone with severe internal bleeding. She had been in the middle of teaching her class for the third day in a row when all hell had broken loose, and she had maintained just enough control to not scream at the medics for being in her way. And worse, Chihiro hadn't been there.

The medic had gotten a day off yesterday because she had burned herself out that first time Sakura had taught. After the class had been over, Chihiro had been so worried about being late that she had offered to do most of Sakura's appointments for the day. Sakura, knowing that Chihiro wouldn't stop apologizing and liking the idea of resting, had agreed. Besides, Chihiro had learned a lot, and had gotten much more proficient at healing.

Chihiro really was a sweet girl. She was eager to learn, and a very hard worker. But Sakura was still a bit miffed at her assistant's absence. It wasn't like her to miss a day of work. Chihiro loved working as a medic.

Well, hopefully Chihiro would be there tomorrow. Right now, Sakura jut wanted to fall asleep. The sun had already gone down, and she had told Naruto and Kaori to eat without her. Her stomach growled, and she wished she had something to eat, but first she needed to shower.

Her clothes were sticky as she peeled them off and stepped into the hot water, the stream of soothing liquid causing a groan of pleasure to reverberate through her body. Fingers flicked through the hand signs, and as the water beading on her skin soaked through her pores, she felt the energy immediately. The water rejuvenated her chakra stores, relaxing her muscles. Now this was heaven.

Once her shower was over, Sakura sighed, feeling much cleaner than before. She wrapped the towel around her body, moving into the room to search for some clothes. She wanted to wear something baggy, but she hadn't brought anything like that.

She glanced at the door.

_Do it_, her Inner urged. _He's not here yet. And I'm sure he wouldn't mind._

_Well, I suppose._

_Go on!_

_Er… Okay!_ Sakura was really not sure why this was so exciting. Maybe it was because Naruto was gone and she was "stealing" clothes from him. Maybe it was the fact that they were together now. Whatever it was, she just hoped Naruto didn't get mad; although she had no idea why he would. He only got upset during… dire situations, and she didn't think a clothing thief in the form of his girlfriend would bother him.

With a tired sigh, she plopped onto the bed, legs crossed as she pulled out her medical scrolls. Her eyes carefully perused the parchment; if she didn't remind herself of what she could or couldn't tell these medics, something might slip. She didn't think Tsunade would imprison her for it, but she didn't even want to take the chance.

She had just finished the first scroll when laughing caught her attention. She looked up, head swiveling to the door as it opened to reveal one of the most adorable sights she had ever seen. Naruto walked in, Kaori sitting on his shoulders and using his hair to keep herself from falling. Even though it looked like her grip hurt, the blonde was still smiling, gently gripping her ankles.

His attention was completely occupied by the laughing six-year-old until she shouted, "Kaa-san! You're back!"

Sakura smiled. "Of course!"

The girl stretched her arms, moving her fingers in a silent plea to be closer to Sakura. Naruto chuckled and lifted her off, carefully swinging her around and placing her in the medic's lap. With an excited cry, Kaori jumped the rest of the way, tightly wrapping her arms around the kunoichi's shoulders. "I missed you, Kaa-san."

A gentle smile quirked Sakura's lips. Oh, how this little girl could melt her heart. "I missed you, too, Kaori. I haven't been able to see you much these past few days."

Kaori shook her head. "But, Otou-san and I got you something! We figured you'd be hungry, so he took home one of the bowls of ramen that we got!"

A pink eyebrow rose suspiciously, and Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Well, I figured ramen would be fine, and since you couldn't make it, I knew that you wouldn't eat, so I got you some."

"I see," the medic smiled. But she was very happy that Naruto had thought of her. Sakura patted Kaori's back. "Why don't you get ready for bed? It's late, and you need your sleep."

"Do I have to?" Kaori whined, pulling out her best pouting face.

Sakura would not be moved, no matter how adorable the girl looked. "Yes. Now hurry in there."

Reluctantly, Kaori hopped off of Sakura's lap and stepped into the bathroom, gathering her pajamas before she came back out. Naruto had managed to deliver the ramen to Sakura via storage scroll, but she was happy to see that it was still warm. The caramel haired girl slid into bed.

"Otou-san?" she asked quietly. Both ninja turned.

"Hai?"

"Can you tell me that story again? The one about the plain prince?"

Naruto's neck heated as Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. When had he told Kaori a story? Well, it didn't matter, but she was eager to know what this story was about. The blonde stole a quick glance at her.

"Er… Well…"

When Sakura simply raised her eyebrows, quickly motioning for him to go over and tell the story, Naruto seemed to relax, as if he had been afraid that she would be angry with him. "Sure, Kaori," he finally mumbled.

While Naruto sat next to Kaori and told her the story again, Sakura listened, slowly eating the ramen as the tale unfolded. It was about a plain prince and his love, and how the princess had been betrayed by the prince that she had grown to love. She knew the story was parallel to her and Naruto's life. But the story was still sweet, no doubt having a happy ending to placate Kaori's young mind. Yet Sakura couldn't help but wonder if Naruto hoped that did happen – or something close to it.

The crazy thing was that she didn't mind if it happened that way.

After a little while, Kaori's eyes closed and she drifted to sleep. For most of the story, Sakura pretended not to listen, eyes roving over her scrolls so Naruto wouldn't feel too embarrassed. But she could feel the blonde's stare as he spoke, watching her almost like a hawk would watch its prey.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Kaori had been asleep for at least half an hour, and Sakura had finished eating her ramen fifteen minutes ago. "What?" she asked sharply, the intensity of Naruto's gaze irritating her. She wasn't mad at him; she was just tired, and she turned very snappish when she was exhausted.

He suddenly blinked, shaking his head as his eyes turned innocent. "Nothing, nothing," he said quickly. "I… I didn't mean…" He trailed off, then seemed to give up when he couldn't find a suitable excuse.

Sakura sighed irritably. "Naruto, you've been staring at me for at least half an hour. There's got to be a reason you're staring at me so much."

He seemed to deliberate, warring with himself whether or not he should tell her. For a moment she wondered if he was trying to hint at the fact that he didn't like her wearing his clothes, but he had never been so subtle. Ever. So Sakura glanced down, taking a quick look at what she had pulled from the draw.

It was one of Naruto's black shirts, with patches of frayed material and holes everywhere. It looked like a piece of clothing that had been lovingly worn for years until he couldn't anymore. But it was too big on Sakura, giving her the impression that he probably still wore it. His orange shorts were newer, though still well worn. But it was the shirt that puzzled her the most.

Even her clothes were beginning to show wear like Naruto's shorts. She needed to have new ones sewn for her, but it wasn't the same. This shirt looked like it was well over five years old – either that or Naruto had worn it constantly for three years.

A small noise returned her to the present, and she turned to look at her teammate. "Well…" he was trying to say, but it seemed as if the words were stuck in his throat. "You see, that's my favorite shirt."

_Oops_.

"Sorry, I'll take it off," she murmured, starting to lift the hem of the shirt to remove it from her body. Part of her wanted to see what Naruto would do, and part of her was sorry that she had accidentally put on his favorite shirt. She hadn't known, and she was starting to wonder if this had really been a good idea.

_Hey, don't blame me_, her Inner protested.

_Well, you were the one who told me to put on his clothes._

_I wasn't the one that made the decision._

_You're always getting me into trouble!_ Sakura argued. Now she really knew what if must feel like for Naruto having a demon inside of him.

_Yeah, well, you're always listening to me!_

_I do not!_

"Sakura?" Naruto asked, breaking the squabble with her Inner.

"Aha… Sorry about that," she murmured.

Naruto shook his head. "It's fine." For a moment, neither spoke, and Sakura nervously tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear as she looked back at her scrolls to avoid too much tension. "So," Naruto began, no doubt searching for another topic to talk about, "how's your jutsu coming along?"

The medic sighed, glad of the subject change but wishing she had something good to say. "I haven't had much time to work on it. They've been keeping me ridiculously busy these past few days, and I barely get back here with enough daylight left to have some time with Kaori, let alone working on my jutsu at night."

"I know," Naruto nodded. "She misses you a lot."

"I miss her, too."

Suddenly, Naruto stood from Kaori's bed, coming over and sitting next to her. "You can work on it with me. You need someone to help you practice, right? Well, I can help. You can use me to get it right."

Her eyes widened. Did that dolt really know what the hell he was talking about? "Naruto, I can't use you! You saw what my jutsu did to the ground. That was when I didn't have it right, when I was attacking. Who knows what'll happen when I do get it right?"

The blonde shrugged. "So? I've got Kyuubi. Besides, isn't the point of creating a jutsu to make it more powerful than others?"

Naruto did have a point, but this was crazy. "Well… Well, yes, but Naruto, what you're asking is insane."

"I'm just asking to help," he murmured, looking slightly offended.

"Look, bakanaro," she smiled, knowing he really was just trying to help. But she couldn't let him do it. "My hand was nearly torn off by that jutsu being performed the wrong way, and I'm not about to let that happen to you."

He started to object, but she shot him a glare, her eyes clearly telling him what she wasn't saying. The blonde swallowed nervously and nodded. "Okay, Sakura-chan."

She kept her face stern, just in case. Naruto would use any opportunity to try to be of help, even if it almost got him killed. But she would not let him do this. Whatever she was developing was dangerous; it could even be detrimental to her, just as Naruto's Rasenshuriken was harmful to him.

In all honesty, Sakura really wasn't sure just what she was trying to make her jutsu do. It seemed to be a good offensive weapon; should one get hit, it was enough to make them reel back. If done correctly… Well, she hadn't gotten there yet. All she knew was that the jutsu at the moment was powerful enough to severely injure someone. Should it be done right, (she hoped) it could be a useful tool to correct even some of the worst injuries, or it could be used on an opponent and slice at their insides like a machete.

Either way, the jutsu was powerful. She wanted to prove that she was a good ninja, that she could keep up with Naruto and the others. But what exactly would this prove? A successor to Tsunade, perhaps. It would be an honor to become even greater than her master, but that wasn't what she wanted.

From the time that Team 7's simple lives had meshed into some sort of horror story, she had always been in the background, weakly fighting to help Naruto and Sasuke either settle their differences or to help them make the mission a success. But very rarely did she ever make a large impact to help. She had never known what to do with herself, and had known that precise chakra control was a strong point – that was it.

Now, however, it was different. She was stronger, learning her strength and knowledge from the Godaime herself. Even in the three years since Naruto had left for his training trip with Jiraiya, the tale of her strength had seemed to trickle across the villages until they actually believed that she had helped Chiyo to defeat Sasori.

Maybe it wasn't to prove anything to anyone. All that time, while she had been flattered for the attention the stories had garnered, she had felt strangely empty, as if she hadn't deserved their praise at all. Maybe she wasn't trying to prove to Naruto or the world that she could keep up. Maybe this was something that she was trying to prove to herself.

_So we can feel that we actually earned the praise_, her Inner commented.

Sakura nodded. _I mean, Amekage-sama was boasting of my talents just a few days ago, and while it was nice to hear him say that, I don't know if I should still accept what he said._

_True. But didn't Tsunade say you had the talent to surpass her?_

_Well, yes, but…_ The Godaime never bothered with fluffy words. If there was one thing that Sakura had learned in all her training, it was that Tsunade expected you to understand no matter what. She didn't bother to put things lightly; she told them as they were, whether it bruised a person's ego or not. If Tsunade had said something like that, she probably meant it.

_You know she doesn't fool around like that. She wouldn't tell you that just so she could bring you down afterwards. Remember when she said she thinks of you as a daughter? She wouldn't say something like that unless she meant it._

_But… Why do I still feel so inadequate? Like I can't do anything that Naruto or Sasuke can?_

Her Inner heaved a sigh. _You're not an Uchiha. You don't have their chakra or stamina. You don't harbor an angry yet misunderstood demon in the depths of your soul that can feed you extra chakra. You don't have Naruto's heritage. Why can't you accept who you are?_

_Well, I…_

_Your strength and knowledge has come in handy plenty of times during these recent battles in Amegakure._

_I guess I just want to do something worthwhile. So that when I look in the mirror, I see someone that has accomplished something on her own, with her own strength._ Sakura was suddenly determined. She wanted to know that everything she had done so far had been her best – because that was all she could ever ask for.

_Shannaro!_ her Inner agreed. _Let's finish this jutsu!_

_Shannaro!_ Sakura reiterated, spirits suddenly elated. She turned to Naruto, starting to say his name, but stopped when she saw his eyes quickly dart away. His name stuck in her throat, and she moved coming closer to him. Sometime in the minutes she had been talking with her Inner, Naruto had moved to their bed.

Their_ bed? Since when did it become yours and his?_ her Inner said incredulously.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Naruto? Is something wrong?" she said instead, ignoring her pestering inner presence. Sometimes it was good, and sometimes it was bad. She still had warring thoughts about her Inner…

_I'll murder you in your sleep._

"Do I have anything on my face or something?" she said hurriedly, hands moving to her face to see if any embarrassing blotches of ink or dirt marred her skin.

Naruto held up his hands. "No, no, you're fine. I mean you're beautiful. I mean—" He cut off there, rubbing his face in embarrassment. Quite honestly, she found it absolutely charming.

"What is it, Naruto?" she asked again, moving a little closer until she was just piercing the edge of his bubble. He leaned back a little, fumbling for words until her tongue darted over her lips. He gaze slid to the pink flesh, eyes darkening.

Her stomach clenched.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, slowly leaning forward, eyes leaping back to hers. "I mean it."

She blinked. She hadn't thought that he would actually say it, and how wonderful it would make her feel. After all, she had bags under her eyes from exhaustion, her hair was no doubt lank and dirty, and she was wearing clothes that were practically falling off of her. "Nani?"

He laughed shakily and scratched the back of his neck nervously, as if he couldn't believe he had just said that. "Er…" he fumbled. "Well, I think you look beautiful."

The medic's cheeks flushed. "oh, um… Thanks, Naruto," she murmured.

"No, really!" he continued. "You look good in my clothes."

"You really think so?" She glanced up, gazing at her teammate from underneath her lashes.

_Oh, just shut up and believe him already._

Sakura pursed her lips. _Hey. I like hearing him say that._

_Fine_, her Inner scoffed.

When Sakura came back to the peresent, Naruto was staring at her again. She tilted her head, asking the question with her eyes. He smiled sheepishly, seeming to gather himself together much faster than last time. Suddenly, Sakura seemed to remember something he had said. She scooted closer.

"So, why is this your favorite shirt?"

His smile turned reminiscent. "Well, uh, I was wearing that shirt when I saved Iruka from Mizuki and he let me become a genin." His hand reached over, fingering the large hole near the base of the shirt. "That was from one of Mizuki's knives. It was the first hole." His finger grazed her skin with the lightest of touches.

"Did he get you?" Her voice was quiet, eyes earnest as she desperately tried to ignore the delicate shiver racing up her spine.

Naruto shrugged. "Not too badly. The shirt got most of it – if you couldn't tell."

She nodded, acutely aware of Naruto's hand hovering near her stomach, even though there was no contact. "I'm glad you weren't hurt," she whispered, leaning in a little until their lips were inches apart.

"It's… my lucky shirt." Naruto swallowed thickly.

Her eyes moved to his lips. She couldn't help it. She hadn't actually kissed Naruto since a week ago on the training fields, and it felt like it had been forever. Her body had been craving him, and she had denied herself for far too long. It couldn't hurt… Just a small kiss. They wouldn't go that far, even though everything inside of her was screaming for the blonde in front of her.

Suddenly, Naruto's hand flew to the back of her neck, pressing her lips against his. Normally, Sakura liked to be strong, to take hold of the situation, but she couldn't help but be turned on by Naruto's boldness. He wasn't usually this daring, and it sent fire through her veins.

Before she knew it, Naruto's hands were everywhere and she was straddling his waist, passion growing in her chest until she felt it would explode. One of his hands stopped at the base of her spine, shoving her against him as her hands tugged his hair. They separated for air, but Naruto didn't stop. His lips moved to her jaw, leaving a mixed trail of fiery kisses and cool shivers to coil within her stomach.

He sucked on a small patch of skin on her neck, eliciting a small, helpless moan, the sensations causing her nails to dig into his back. Her hips ground into his, her mind beyond reason, simply accepting the wanton desire consuming every part of her like an irrepressible wildfire.

She wasn't sure how long they were like that, but by the time Naruto pulled away, they were both panting. His hands moved to her shoulders, shakily trying to hold her back. "Sakura… We need to stop. Or I… I'll…"

"Shh," she commanded, using her mouth to silence him.

"But, Sakura-chan…" he managed in between kisses.

"Don't talk."

"S-Sakura…" he gasped when her tongue found a sensitive spot just below his ear.

"We don't have to stop."

"Demo…"

"I don't want to."

With one last effort, Naruto seemed to wretch himself away, slowly moving away as far as he could as Sakura sat back. He was breathing hard. "I don't want to stop, either, Sakura," he admitted, "but Kaori's in here, and we really shouldn't rush into anything."

Despite feeling relieved that Naruto had had enough sense to stop, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. True, she was glad that nothing had progressed further; she definitely wasn't ready for that. But it almost came across like Naruto didn't want to go any further. She knew it was utter ridiculousness for thinking such a thing, but it was the first thing that came to mind, and it wasn't going away.

_I know that's not what it is,_ she repeated, trying to convince herself.

_He doesn't want you to regret anything._

_I know. I know. I'm trying to feel like that, not… Not betrayed._

Her Inner nodded. _I know._

_What do I do?_

_Be gracious about it. He wasn't trying to hurt us._

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry, I just… I don't want everything to happen too fast, and then Kaori's here—"

He was trying to apologize.

"Stop, Naruto." She held her hand against his chest, and while she didn't want to look him in the eye, she made herself do it. "It's okay. Honest."

She could see the relief in his face, but also regret. "Sakura, really, I'm sorry…"

"Naruto," she laughed halfheartedly. "I told you it's fine."

For a moment, it didn't look like he'd believe her, but then his hand came up and caressed her cheek. She looked up, shocked, but he smiled. "You really do look beautiful."

Every feeling of disappointment vanished when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. It didn't matter that he had stopped even when she had wanted to continue. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning forward and kissing him quickly.

After she had pulled away, he followed her, hand still hovering on her neck, and the breath on her lips was mesmerizing. She wasn't sure what he was doing to her – for as long as she could remember, Sasuke's cold, dark gaze would set her heart pounding. Yet with a simple touch or heated look from Naruto, her heart would actually ache, as if it were twisting in her chest. Her body was completely under his control, and as he leaned just a bit closer, the urge was back, more potent than before. It scared her.

Love had been something different when she was twelve. It wasn't like this. She didn't understand why everything seemed to be spinning out of control whenever she was around her teammate. Fear was something that she had forced herself to shove away, to make room for her strength so it could grow. She didn't want to admit how attached she seemed to be getting to Naruto, because she hated to admit she was afraid. A minute ago, she would have been happy should Naruto had gone further, but right now, as his lips hovered barely an inch away, she was scared.

She had never felt anything this powerful before.

When his lips touched hers again, her brain slipped into blissful thoughtlessness. All she knew was the lust consuming her every nerve, making them hypersensitive to any part that Naruto touched. She wanted him closer, as close as he could possibly be and yet still closer, to be a part of her. She wanted everything.

Slowly, they pulled away, Naruto gazing at her, eyes heavy as he failed to hide his barely controlled lust. The look in his eyes made her body ache, wanting to know how it felt to be loved by this crazy and confusing man in front of her.

That was when she felt it.

Before she could get a handle on the feeling, a small note appeared beneath the door and the feeling disappeared. She looked at Naruto, hoping that she hadn't been the only one to feel that. He slowly stood from the bed, picking up the piece of parchment with a hastily written message on it.

When the coast seemed clear, Naruto read it out loud. "Get out while you can. Takai is closing in. By telling you this I hope I can make a difference somehow. I believe they are after the jinchuuriki. Get out. They're closing in."

She was speechless. How does one react to a letter such as this? "Naruto, is this…? Did someone in Takai betray them? Or is it a trap?"

Naruto was shaking his head. "I don't know," he murmured, and she could tell that it bothered him. "I just wish—"

His sentence was cut off as a new sensation filled the room. This time, it stayed, and her heart dropped into her stomach. "No…"

Whenever she had thought about it, this was not how everything was supposed to happen. But there was no denying it. She could sense it, and she knew that Naruto could, too. It was normal to feel the peaceful glimmers of chakra all around them. After all, they lived on the second floor of a ninja academy that housed dozens of chuunin. But there was no denying this chakra.

"Oh, god," Sakura whispered.

She looked at Naruto. His eyes were tight, and his lips were pulled into a thin line. He nodded, and glanced out of their window. Sakura followed his gaze, the happy feeling that had been in her stomach sinking until it became a lead weight in her gut. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out.

Because outside, Sasuke was waiting for them.

00000

**A/N:** Hey, all. Sorry that this chapter is so short. I mean, it's short by about 20 pages, which I'm sorry for, but there wasn't anything else for this chapter to contain. So please forgive me for having such a short chapter, but you guys were anxious for LITR to be updated, I wanted this chapter to be done, and so this is what we got.

I hope it doesn't sound too disjointed, and I know that I'm very excited for my next chapter. It will take a while to write because I've got many things to do including tests and other stuff… I mean, I'm still reeling from last night because of that stupid everclear… Steer clear of that shit people, haha. Anyway, hope this chapter is entertaining and gives you new things to think about.

- wolf's paradise


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Wow, I can't believe I'm on my twentieth chapter. It's incredible how far I've gotten and how my writing has gotten so much better. This almost seems like an anniversary to me because I think about this time last year I published my tenth chapter, and it's been ten wonderful chapters since. This is by far the longest story I have written to date; my future stories may end up longer, but that'll probably be when this finishes and I get the time to start writing the others again.

That totally just led to a very depressing thought… I mean, I'll be relieved and happy when LITR ends because I would have finished my first multi-chapter (and I mean multi – not like 4 to 6 chapters) story. But, it's going to end, and that'll be a sad day. Good thing it's not over yet. Also, sorry if any of the characters seem OC. Especially Sasuke. I didn't pay much attention to him in shippuuden during everything with team Hebi and whatnot, and now that Kishimoto has ruined his character…yeah. So, he will be more of the Sasuke in between a few things, the parts that I remember of him, and how I wish he would be.

**And I would like to drop a special thanks to Riku's-Way-to-the-Dawn for inspiring me to write even more about my character with unrequited love: Kazukiro Naito**. =) So, without further adieu, I hope you all enjoy this latest installment of _Lost in the Rain_, and I apologize for how long it's taken me to write this!

_For any of you who are interested, here is the only piece of LITR art I have been able to publish_ – http: / themeefler . deviantart . com/art/Kaori-151142084?q=gallery%3ATheMeefler%2F13867794&qo=12 (_of course, just delete the spaces_)

00000

_Previously…_

_She looked at Naruto. His eyes were tight, and his lips were pulled into a thin line. He nodded, and glanced out of their window. Sakura followed his gaze, the happy feeling that had been in her stomach sinking until it became a lead weight in her gut. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out._

_Because outside, Sasuke was waiting for them_.

Chapter Twenty

It seemed as if everything had suddenly gone wrong. One moment everything was fine, and the next it all was so different. Dread had frozen her entire body, and she could barely move. Sasuke's chakra was strong, but this wasn't because of her old teammate's presence. The fear gripping her limbs was fiercer than she had anticipated, because the only thing she could think of was Naruto. He couldn't get hurt, because Takai's objective that she had just heard was whirring through her mind, and it suddenly made everything seem much more real.

True, Takai had been focused on capturing medical ninja, but Naruto was a jinchuuriki, and it wasn't just any bijuu trapped inside her teammate.

"What are we going to do?" Sakura whispered, eyes darting to the peaceful girl in the other bed. Her heart squeezed with fear. Kaori had no idea the possible danger in which she could be.

_Kaori…_

Naruto was pacing. "I don't know. I don't know," he repeated.

Suddenly, Naruto bit his thumb, hands flashing through signs. A small, green toad popped into the room in a puff of choking smoke. His eyes were the traditional yellow, but he was peppered with other colors like red and blue. "Hai, Naruto-sama?" he asked quickly, countenance all business.

"Gamatoko, go to Konoha and let Tsunade-sama know what's going on," Naruto instructed, quickly explaining the situation in which they were enveloped. With a curt nod, the toad disappeared.

"Why didn't you call Gamakichi?" Sakura asked, searching for anything to take her mind off of the thought that everything was suddenly crashing all around her.

Naruto rushed around the room. "He's almost as big as Gamabunta. Didn't think he'd fit in here."

The medic nodded silently, wishing she could laugh, but it was stuck in her throat. She watched as Naruto gathered a few things around the room. Her eyes were wide, head swirling with wishes that she knew wouldn't come true. All she knew was that she wasn't ready for this. Not now. Maybe tomorrow, but not now. The dread was settling deeper, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Sakura," Naruto said forcefully, breaking her out of her paralyzing thoughts.

"Right," she murmured, trying to hid the fact that she was shaking. _This is ridiculous. _I'm _being ridiculous._

_Get a hold of yourself! You're being stupid, and you know it. You just acknowledged it. Now we can do this! We defeated Sasori and those other Akatsuki bastards! We can take this! Shannaro!_ her Inner cried.

Sakura nodded. _Right. Okay. I can do this!_

Her Inner nodded, urging her on. Sakura hurried to the dresser, methodically pulling on her ninja clothes as she pushed away the doubts taking hold. She shoved her medical belt on, packing a few things before facing Naruto. Her nerves were shot, but she couldn't let them show.

"I'm ready."

"Okay," he nodded. "Wake up Kaori. We need to go see Shikamaru and the others."

"Why?" Goddammit, why couldn't she stop the way her heart jumped every time she heard something new? She shouldn't be afraid! She couldn't be.

"We need his help."

_Maybe he's scared, too…_ she whispered, throwing all other thoughts away. She needed to focus. Focus, and be the ninja she was trained to be. "You think the note is real?" She was all business now, mind still swirling, but she pushed past it. Now was not the time for fear or doubt.

"I don't know," he admitted, "but I want to get these people safe just in case. We need Shikamaru and the others to help alert the Amekage so he can get the villagers into the shelters."

"Right," Sakura acknowledged, a new thought coming to mind. "Do you think he sent the note?" She knew Naruto understood whom she was talking about, and she moved cautiously toward Kaori, wanting to wake up the girl peacefully so she wouldn't suspect that something was amiss. Gently, Sakura touched Kaori's arm.

"I don't know," Naruto reiterated. "I don't know if he'd have that much information from Takai unless he was a part of it, but I don't think that's the case. I just… I don't know," he growled irritably.

Sakura nodded, knowing she had to stop asking questions for a moment or else Naruto would get too frustrated. She softly touched Kaori's arm again, resuming her work to wake up the sleeping girl. With a tired sigh she awoke, rubbing her grey eyes sleepily.

"Kaa-san?" she asked, voice rough with sleep. "Is it morning already?"

"No, sweetie. It's still night, but we've got to hurry. Something bad has happened, and you need to be safe." Her voice had a note of urgency, and she cursed herself. She was supposed to be calm.

Thankfully, it didn't seem to register in Kaori's mind, because she just nodded languidly, unaware that Sakura proceeded to pick her up. She knew she had to take Kaori somewhere safe; however, before she could, there was a swift knock at the door. Her body stiffened, ready for an attack until she recognized the chakra signatures. She pushed the doubt away again as Shikamaru, Hinata, and Kiba and Akamaru stepped into the room.

"You felt him, too?"

Shikamaru nodded gravely.

Kiba sniffled. "I'd recognize his scent anywhere. Like rotting reptiles," the dog ninja scoffed. "He isn't moving, but he's somewhere over there, near one of the far training fields," Kiba continued, pointing toward the east side of Amegakure. Akamaru barked in agreement, a low growl emitting from his throat. Apparently, he wasn't too fond of Sasuke, but Sakura could understand.

Naruto was thinking hard, pacing the room with what little space was left. "Hinata, Kiba: have you guys met the Amekage yet?"

"H-Hai, Naruto-kun," Hinata nodded, Kiba agreeing with her.

"Okay, I want you and Kiba to alert the Amekage, to let him know that Sasuke is here and that Takai should be on their way. To avoid casualties he'll need to get every possible civilian into the Amekage tower or shelters, whichever one they have. They need to use most of their ninja force to help because you won't be able to all by yourselves. Get these chuunin out of here. That way they'll be able to hear you explain the situation to Eiji and we won't waste time." They turned to leave, but Naruto glanced Sakura's way. "Wait! Take… Take Kaori there, too. She needs to be safe."

"Of course," Hinata said slowly, awkwardly holding out her arms to take Kaori. Now it seemed as if she had finally woken up, because her eyes widened, and her fingers curled around Sakura's shirt, refusing to let go. Kaori looked at Sakura, shaking her head in denial.

"No," she whispered desperately, hands tightening viciously around the thin fabric.

Sakura felt the small girl tremble slightly, and her heart clenched. "Kaori, listen to me," she said intently, trying to pour as much honesty as she could into the look she was giving the little girl that had stolen her heart. "Something bad has happened. There are very bad people after me and Otou-san." The medic took a quick, steadying breath, but it didn't help. Her voice still broke. "Now I need you to go with Hinata-san and Kiba-san. They'll take care of you and take you somewhere safe."

Kaori shook her head, the fear evident in her eyes. "No, Kaa-san!" she said quietly. "They're going to hurt you, to take you away from me like it happened to my other mother! They'll take you away from me," she sobbed.

Tears peeked at the corners of Sakura's eyes, and when she hugged Kaori fiercely, she couldn't help but let one slip out. "I know, Kaori. I know. But I'm not going to let anything happen to me." She pushed the caramel haired girl back to look her in the eye. "I promised you that I wouldn't leave you, and I'm not going to break that promise. I _will not_ leave you alone. Do you understand that?"

Kaori sniffled, but nodded. Sakura gently handed her to Hinata, and Kiba interrupted. "Kaori, right?"

When she nodded, the dog ninja continued. "Think you can stay on Akamaru, Kaori? He'll try not to jostle you too much, and that way Hinata and I can work to our full capability without having to worry about you on our backs. This way, you'll be safer."

"H-Hai," Kaori whispered.

Akamaru huffed, and Kiba gave him a sharp look. "Hey, I never said that I could work perfectly fine without you." The white ninja dog snorted, and Kiba threw up his hands. "I give up. Whatever…" he grumbled as he carefully grabbed Kaori and set her on Akamaru's back. Her body was rigid and her eyes fearful.

"Kaa-san, Otou-san, I love you!" she cried as Kiba and Hinata hurried from the room, Akamaru padding silently after them. Sakura gathered her countenance, risking a quick glance at Naruto. She knew he had heard Kaori; he was just hiding it better than she was. She wasn't sure how, but Kaori had become such a part of them. It made her wonder what in the world she would ever do once they got back to Konoha. Her parents were dead and there was no way that Kaori should live in fear every day that someone who took care of her might die. She and Naruto had already decided that she could stay with Kurenai and help her look after her son. She just hoped Kaori would like staying with the retired jounin.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

Sakura was surprised that Shikamaru had readily volunteered to do work, but she concentrated on the severity of the moment. This was something big, and she couldn't continue to put it off in her mind as a light hitch in the road.

Naruto paced around the room in thought, eyebrows tight and a hand stroking his chin. Finally, "I need you to wait in the hotel room and try to figure out Takai's objective. You can probably do it by putting together all the information we've got plus this new note that slipped into our room just before Sasuke came."

For a moment, Shikamaru couldn't speak. When he did, his voice was much less lazy, almost mocking, but it was still quiet. "That's what you want me to do? Sit in a room and do nothing."

"Not nothing," Naruto countered. "You'll be thinking."

Shikamaru sighed irritably. "Yes, because I'm so useful when I think."

He had said it sarcastically, but it had had the desired affect. Naruto growled and moved toward the jounin when Sakura stepped between them. Her hand was out and against Naruto's chest, the light pressure holding him back. She wondered if it was just her that had this control over him, because it was a very satisfying feeling.

"Stop it, you two!" Even though she hadn't raised her voice, her command hung in the air like they had no choice but to obey her. "Listen, Shikamaru. I know you want to fight, but since Naruto isn't telling you why, I will. Your techniques are good, but they're at their best when you're paired with Chouji and Ino. They aren't here, and Kiba and Hinata have already left. Right now, we need you to help us figure out what the hell Takai wants. You are the smartest ninja in our generation, and that is the best thing that you can do right now while Sasuke's out there. We need to know what Takai wants so that we can be prepared."

The jounin did not want to hear what she said, but she could tell he knew she spoke the truth. He clicked his tongue and shoved his hands in his pockets, but nodded. "All right. I'll wait at the hotel." With that, he left the room.

The medic whirled on Naruto, slapping him lightly (well, for her it was lightly) on his arm. "Stop being an asshole, would you?" she said angrily. "I don't care if they're here for back-up, don't treat them like dirt! _I_ know why you want them to do things, but they don't. So quit being stupid."

Naruto seemed surprised at her outburst. "Sorry, it's just…"

"I know you're nervous because Sasuke's out there and we haven't seen him in three years. But don't take it out on those who're trying to help you."

The blonde nodded.

Satisfied, Sakura glanced around the room, hurrying to get her storage scrolls to withdraw the rest of her medical supplies. It seemed that the tensions in the room were better now, and she could concentrate. She packed her medical supplies with practiced ease, movements effortless and much more graceful now that it seemed she had gotten control of her swirling emotions.

Once her pack was filled, she whipped out her gloves, slowly putting them on for dramatic effect as she looked at Naruto. Her lips quirked in a smile, knowing that she would have fun facing Sasuke with her teammate. She had been waiting for this.

Confidence was growing inside of her, and her doubts were gone. "I'm ready." But something was wrong.

Naruto was looking at her in the most peculiar way. Footsteps from outside the room accompanied by distraught voices reached her ears, but it was almost as if she were in a fog.

Dread formed a lead weight in her stomach, but this time, it wasn't accompanied by fear. This time, it was anger.

She glanced away, mind knowing all too well what this was going to be about. Now he wanted to take that away from her? She had trained so hard to be where she was. She had been working day and night on a jutsu that was all her own so that she knew everything she had been doing up to this point had been her best. There was always room for improvement, but results were beginning to show, and by Kami she was going to kill him if this boy tried to take that away from her.

Her teammate rubbed the back of his neck, eyes shameful. "Sakura, I don't want you to go."

She scoffed. "I knew it. I knew you were going to do this to me."

He looked up sharply, questioning her. "Sakura, that's not what I meant—"

"Do you know how hard I've worked for this, Naruto?" He didn't answer, and it was a couple minutes until he did.

"I can't let you go." He finally seemed to have decided, because he turned and started walking toward the door, shoulders stiff but set in utmost determination. Her eyebrows slammed together and she grabbed Naruto's hand.

"Uzumaki Naruto, don't you dare do this alone! You said that we would do this together, that we would fight and bring Sasuke back _together!_" She stood firm, hands on her hips, refusing to back down. He had _promised_ that they would do this together, and if she remembered correctly, Uzumaki Naruto never went back on his word.

But there was always a first for everything.

"No! Not this time. Sakura, I want you to stay here! Who knows what he'll do?" His eyes were filled with concern, but she didn't care. He was trying to persuade her to just sit here and essentially accept defeat. Well, that was one thing she _wasn't_ doing this time.

"Precisely, bakanaro! I need to be there to heal you in case he nearly kills you!" Kami, he could be such an idiot sometimes.

"Are you saying that I can't bring him back?"

She reeled from that accusation, mind swimming blindly. After a moment, she found her voice. "Of course not, Naruto. But you _promised_ we'd do this together. Why do you think I trained so hard to get to where I am? I was sick at looking at your guys' backs while I was completely useless! Well, I'm not anymore! I can fight!"

"You know medical ninja are back-up! They never go to fight in the front lines! You _know_ that, Sakura!"

"I don't care! I _will_ help you fight him, and I _will_ help you bring him back!"

"Sakura, I don't want to do this, but you've left me with no choice. You know that Baa-chan said that if it were to come down to a life or death decision that I would be in charge of the end result. Sakura—"

Oh, Kami… "No! Don't even _think_ about using that!"

"I _order_ you to stay here, Sakura, as authorized leader and decision-maker appointed by the Godaime Hokage herself!"

"Naruto, no! Don't do that! Naruto, please!" She was begging him, hoping that he wouldn't take this one chance away from her. She had been given so many opportunities to get things right, and she had always seemed to fail. This was one of those chances, and she couldn't fail this time.

"I have to, Sakura! How else can I keep you safe?"

"Naruto…" she pleaded.

"I'll be back, Sakura. And when I am, I will have Sasuke with me, and I will have fulfilled my promise to you." His eyes were steeled with determination, and her heart plummeted into her stomach.

"That's not—Naruto!" she screamed as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Dammit!" she cried, her fist angrily smashing into one of the room walls. Thankfully, it seemed as if Kiba and Hinata had managed to evacuate its tenants already. Her hand shook with unsuppressed rage, yet she couldn't seem to lay her fist into anything.

This could have been another chance for her to make things right, but just like before, things had gotten in the way. Naruto had gotten in the way, and she didn't know what to do about it. He wasn't something that she could shove away – like doubts.

But the weight of Naruto's words overpowered any other thought, and she fell to her knees. "Baka!" she whispered brokenly. "That's _not_ what I meant! You know I don't hold it against you. So why? Why do you order me here when you know that, and you know I want to help?"

_Ugh. He'll pay for the clever use of that order,_ her Inner grumbled.

_Why did he use it? He knows that I've been training so hard to get to where I am so I wouldn't be useless anymore_.

_Follow him. Even if you don't engage in the battle, just follow, at least._

_But I…_ Sakura wasn't too sure if she should listen to her Inner. Naruto's order was wreaking havoc on her mind. She felt compelled—almost as if he were holding her down with an invisible force—to stay. And it was supposed to be that way. It was one example of exactly how clever Tsunade was.

_Let's go! You've trained this hard; don't throw it away now!_

_But he ordered me to stay here._ Sakura rubbed her forehead. _Oh, Kami, I have no idea what to do._ Her two sides were warring viciously, one knowing that if she disobeyed a direct order like that it was almost as if she were to insult Tsunade to her face, and the other gnawing at her core, desperate to be set free, to be given the chance to be right – that she needed to be out there on that battlefield.

The next thing her Inner said sealed the deal.

_Are you going to roll over like a sick puppy just because someone ordered you to stay back? You've never accepted it before! Besides, he just ordered you not to fight! Snooping isn't fighting!_

_You're right! It's brilliant! Shannaro!_ she screamed.

Sakura smiled wickedly as she hurriedly checked her medical packs. They were all in order, and the only thing left was to follow the remnants of Naruto's chakra trail. Even if he had teleported away, she knew he was by the east training fields. That's where she felt the pull from Sasuke's chakra, and that was where both of them would be.

Her heart was pounding. This was the moment of truth, and she could already tell she was doing the right thing. She didn't care if Naruto didn't want her to interfere because she might get hurt. Being a ninja was already risky business, but all of the Rookie Nine had accepted that before they had even earned their hitai-ate, and it was not something that they would take back any time soon. Besides, she had already let herself be afraid for too long.

She loved her mentor, she really did. But Tsunade had wasted away most of her life by living with pain, and in hatred and denial because she couldn't do anything. That would _not_ happen to her. Sakura knew she had to be a part of this battle; she would not let Takai waltz into Amegakure and take everything without a fight.

_Go. Go._ The word was a silent mantra in her head, and she followed it. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried about Naruto finally confronting their defecting teammate after three years. It didn't matter how much he had grown; when it came to Sasuke, things could get a little risky.

_Run. Go._

_Yes!_ She realized that that simple command was coming from _her_ mind, not her Inner.

She grabbed the handle and whipped the door open, staring for a moment at the chaos and commotion spinning out of control. Chuunin were everywhere, hurrying around the top floor, some of them taking things from their rooms even as Kiba was yelling at them.

Akamaru was barking fiercely, trying to herd the wayward ninja down the corridor to the stairs, but it didn't seem as if any of them were eager to leave. No doubt Kiba had told them something was up, and he could have even told them Takai had arrived, and that had sent all of them into a frenzied panic. Some were just being stupid by trying to take most of their possessions with them, and others raced down the hall, spreading more panic among the already distressed bunch of chuunin.

Her eyes darted down the hall, hoping Kiba wouldn't see her or try to stop her. He didn't understand that she needed to do this. She broke into a run, and for a moment, she thought she had made it. She jumped to the side to avoid running into a hysterical chuunin, and that was when she heard the dog ninja's voice. It was hard, but she forced herself to ignore the worry in her friend's voice; she had to get to Naruto and she had to at least be there – it was more for herself than him, but she still needed to be there.

"Sakura, no! Sakura, what are you doing? Sakura, come back!"

She wasn't even sure how she got through the throng of people, but she was moving quickly, a hand grasping the railing, muscles shoving her off of the floor as she jumped down the first portion of the stairs, then the next. She could feel Kiba's chakra and that he was hurrying after her, and she had to be quicker, smarter. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, but the flow was stopped when she reached the first floor.

Dozens of chuunin practically ran her over as they rushed away from something, and she panicked. She had to get through them! They were blocking the door, her way out, and Kiba was less than a few seconds behind her. Within moments he would catch her, and that would be the end. Well, she wasn't a china doll. She could take care of herself, and she didn't care that Naruto had told her to stay. Sasuke was her teammate, too, but she needed to prove to herself as well as those two idiotic boys that she had grown and could hold her own in a fight.

"Sakura!"

The air rushed out of her lungs. He was so close! There was no time for thought – _Go! Run! Now!_

With a loud cry, Sakura shoved the chuunin aside, using her strength to push them away as she almost blasted through the Academy doors. Night air hit her with a bolt of cold wind puffing against her face, and she breathed in relief, body finally relaxing. This, out here, was where a ninja's skills counted, and her body seemed to fall into its rhythm, senses automatically testing the area around her.

Open range. She could lose Kiba here. Naruto had already instructed him to stay behind and help Hinata gather the other chuunin to alert Eiji about Sasuke and Takai's presence, so the dog ninja wouldn't be able to pursue her. A light skip and her legs were carrying her as fast as she could run.

The stretch and pull of muscle was familiar, like something she hadn't done in a while and was just realizing her love for it. The thrill was pulsing through her blood, giving her the strength to push her legs faster. She knew she had to hurry before Naruto and Sasuke began to fight seriously, because she knew that no matter how much either may have changed, they still seemed to have an almost instinctual urge to fight each other.

At first, her legs protested, but with a few more strides she fell into her normal steps, muscles remembering their easy cadence as she ran through the trees. She wanted to be there in case something happened to Naruto. Sasuke would consider it pathetic if Naruto needed her to heal him during a fight, but she didn't care. Sasuke didn't know the medical jutsu she had learned, the control of chakra she had refined. He didn't know that she could throw a three-hundred-pound man more than two hundred feet away, and that thought excited her.

He was so in for a surprise.

The hiss of air was the only warning she had that the normalcy had been disturbed. Her body responded without thought – she jumped up with one stride, arching her stomach. The kunai whistled just underneath her, almost clipping part of her shirt. She absorbed the jump in the fall, rolling onto her back and springing up in one smooth, practiced move.

Fist already clenched around a kunai, she whirled to face her opponent. Then abruptly stood, confusion clear on her face. "Naito?"

A head peeked out from behind a tree. "Sakura-chan?"

_Oh, great_, her Inner mused. She ignored it. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled sheepishly, stance showing his embarrassment. "I thought you were someone from that organization or something. Sorry."

She sighed in relief, but her eyes sharpened. "You need to get back to the Academy. Now."

"Why?"

Well, maybe – _maybe_ – he wasn't as stupid as he seemed. She had to bet on that. "Takai is here, and two of my classmates are trying to evacuate all of the chuunin in the Academy to the Amekage's Tower. They're going to need your help, Naito."

"But I need to be here to fight! We can't just let them take over Amegakure!"

For the first time she could see why Hiroyuki had said he was one of Ame's most promising chuunin. She could see the fire in his eyes, the determination that would count and help him win when the fight looked hopeless. But right now, he needed to channel that determination elsewhere.

"Naito, listen to me." Her eyes darted toward the eastern fields for a moment before focusing on the chuunin in front of her. "I know you want to fight, but you will if there aren't any people for Takai to kidnap. Anyone who wants to be a leader knows that he must first protect those that follow him, and those civilians in Amegakure need to get to safety. My friends Kiba and Hinata are trying to gather them, but they need your help. You need to _go_."

The chuunin thought about her words for a moment. "You just want to follow _him_ don't you?" When he said "him," his head tilted toward the training fields, and he looked like he was pouting.

"What?" That was the last thing she had expected to hear.

"You heard me," he said bravely, crossing his arms and giving her an intense stare.

Immediately, her green eyes were ice, drilling into him as if she could kill him. And if looks could kill, he would be dead. "That is my defected teammate out there," she bit out, each word hard as steel. "I don't care what you think. That traitorous son of a bitch has hurt my team more than you can possibly imagine, so don't you _dare_ try to act all high and mighty."

Her temper was so close to the edge, hovering, and Naito seemed to realize that.

"S-Sorry," he stammered, and she could see the guilt in his face, but she didn't care.

It was unusual for her to use a curse word to describe Sasuke; those were mostly saved for Naruto when he was being infuriatingly… well, Naruto. "But that is my teammate," she continued, "no matter what he's done to us. And, yes, I am following Naruto, but that's because he's also my teammate, and he's always been there for me."

Naito was speechless. That was fine with her, because there was one last thing she had to say, and she hoped to Kami that it would work, because goddammit her patience was hanging by the thinnest of threads.

"Leave. You need to help your village – Hiroyuki would want that. Go."

That seemed to help him make his decision. He nodded, moving to leave when he looked over his shoulder. "I'm sorry. Honestly. I didn't mean… Well, I'm just sorry."

She nodded, accepting his apology, anger lessening. "It's okay." Then, in a flash, he was gone.

She felt the air thicken. _Naruto!_

Her body moved automatically, racing through the trees once again. Oh, Kami, she had wasted so much time! What if they were already fighting, or something had happened? She had to be there, to get there in time, and she pressed herself harder.

The tension in the air was rising, and she knew that Naruto had already met with Sasuke. She couldn't tell how long, but it wouldn't be much longer until the fighting began – a clash of steel as well as wills.

When something slammed into her from the side, she wasn't surprised. She had already disregarded the care needed to traverse a forest safely. It was difficult, but she managed to stand, feeling as if she had run into a brick wall of chakra. A deep voice reached her ears, accompanied a moment later by a slim body.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't say it disapprovingly, or angrily, but it was more of a curious tone with a hint of some sort of knowledge underneath it. For the second time that night, she relaxed her crouch.

"Chisoku… I'm going to watch Naruto and Sasuke fight." She dared him to tell her no.

A smirk lifted the corners of his lips. "And what makes you think you can get away with disobeying a direct order?"

She was frozen for a moment. Well, she definitely hadn't expected him to know about that. Sakura lifted her chin, green eyes challenging him again. "I need to be there. Can you understand that?"

It didn't look like he did, but then again he wasn't saying anything. She tried again.

"I'm not going to fight – I'm snooping. It's different than fighting."

This time, his lips cracked into a large smile. "Then go. But I'm coming with you."

She didn't argue. He wasn't trying to keep her here, and she was grateful for that. Besdies, he could come in handy should some of Takai try to ambush the two ninja absorbed in their fight. She and Chisoku could dispose of them before they even had a chance to touch Naruto or Sasuke.

After a few minutes of running, Chisoku slid to a graceful stop, black legs stiff and ears alert as he sniffed the air. "Wait."

She watched him, and his head swiveled to the right. "They're over there, but things aren't looking so well. I think something's about to happen."

When he mentioned it, she could feel it, too. The air surrounding them felt saturated with chakra, and it wasn't light. It weighed on her body like humidity on an especially cloudy day, and she didn't like it. She recognized Naruto's chakra immediately – it was wild and untamed, swirling in the air like something that was alive – but there was none of Kyuubi's energy in it. Not yet, anyway.

"We need to hurry," she murmured, jogging quickly in the direction of conflict. She dropped into a crouch, body slipping into familiar form, muscles stretching, straining. Her boots had a tendency to be noisy, but she had learned how to pad as silently as a cat, to use them to her advantage.

Chisoku was quiet as well, and she peered through a bush that lilted toward the left, the side that Naruto was on. His body was tense, but she could sense the unleashed power beneath the surface that he was quietly holding under control. He had come a long way since even three years ago.

She glanced to the right, and her chest gave a painful thump as she laid eyes on her old teammate. He looked the same as he did last time – black hair perfectly rumpled, eyes passive and staring. Thank _Kami_ he wasn't wearing that ridiculous purple bow anymore, but his outfit was now held in place by a simple black cord. His hand rested on his chakra sword.

There were so many things racing through her head. Sasuke was finally here, standing just feet away from her. Her eyes darted from teammate to teammate, and as her eyes came to rest on Naruto, she suddenly understood. He had told her they would bring Sasuke back together, but he had to do this himself. He had promised her five years ago that he would bring the traitorous Uchiha home, and he had failed. Now, not only did he have to defeat Sasuke to fulfill his promise to her, but he also had to accomplish this for his own purposes.

_Just like us_, her Inner whispered.

Sakura nodded. _I never thought it could be something like that. I was focused on doing things for myself, too, but I didn't stop to think that maybe he needed this just as much as I did – perhaps even more. I'm such a fool. Stupid, selfish._

_True_, her Inner agreed, _but unlike others, at least we realize it, and want to fix it._

She sincerely hoped so, but suddenly, everything seemed to spin out of control. The tension skyrocketed, her heart leaping with it.

Naruto charged.

00000

It had been so long. So long that his goal was standing right in front of him and it felt as if it were a myth, a mirage. And here Sasuke was, standing yards away from him and it still felt unreal. He was finally going to be able to fulfill his promise to Sakura and the one to himself that he would never fail again. And he couldn't fail this time. He _couldn't_.

But he had a few things to do. From the times he could remember being with Jiraiya and Kakashi, both had made it routine to either check the surrounding area with chakra or to use one's eyes. Naruto definitely did not want Sasuke sensing his chakra, so he dimmed it, sharp blue eyes looking determinedly around the tree-filled field.

In one smooth motion he slinked around the trees, sifting behind branches, crouching, hiding, checking. He had to make sure that no one else was here, that Sasuke didn't have back-up somewhere close by. Of course, considering Sasuke's ability, Naruto doubted the rounin would even think of using back-up, but he had to be sure.

He almost breathed in relief when he had finished his rounds, deciding to hide for the time being in a tree. The branch wasn't big but it would suffice, and right now, all Naruto wanted was to look through the trees at his challenge. His kunai pouch felt strangely empty and useless, but that was besides the point.

"Sasuke," he whispered. He dropped from his hiding place to a thick branch just below him. Sasuke's only movement was the flick of his eyes, the angle of his shoulders until he faced Naruto head on.

The black haired ninja's mouth quirked. "Naruto," he murmured. "Finally decided to show yourself?"

Naruto clenched his teeth. He figured Sasuke had known where he was, but he still thought he had masked his chakra well enough. But apparently Sasuke had grown, too. It was hard to keep his mouth shut – his old self wanted to shout his confidence, how he would crush his opponent with ease. This wasn't the time for it. This was Sasuke he was facing, and this was different.

Sasuke stood on the wide limb of another tree a few yards away from Naruto's. "So you have grown. Surprising."

The blonde tried to ignore his teammate, but this whole situation was throwing him into new territories, the tension thicker than humid air and raw emotions eating at him like a parasite. It wouldn't go away, and he knew that if he opened his mouth, something stupid would come out, and he couldn't look stupid in front of Sasuke. He had trained hard to face his teammate again, and he could not be made a fool.

He swallowed. "You haven't changed a bit." A corner of Sasuke's mouth tipped up, and Naruto continued. "I'm glad you came."

Sasuke's eyebrows rose.

"You're getting beaten this time, Sasuke. I'm bringing you back."

Annoyance flashed across the rounin's face. "Disappointing. I came to give you some advice, but of course all you'd want to do is fight."

Naruto clenched his jaw. "No, Sasuke. You've always wanted to fight me ever since you decided power was more important than anything else."

"Power?" Sasuke murmured nonchalantly. "It was never about power."

"Dammit, yes it was!" He cursed himself. He was loosing it.

"Maybe it was power, but it was the power to defeat my brother." Sasuke lifted his arm, resting his hand on the handle of his chakra sword. Every part of his body was loose, relaxed, and his voice showed the calm and indifference he had to have felt.

Sasuke sighed, the irritation clear in his voice and posture. "Shikamaru and Sakura might be the brains of everyone here, but you're still as stupid as ever, usaratonkachi."

The blonde bristled. "Nani?"

"Did you think I would come here without a knowledge of how much you and Sakura have grown?"

"You… You watched us?" He couldn't believe this! True, Kakashi had mentioned that Sasuke could be in the area, but he had assumed it was a hideout, a place to rest until he moved again. But now it was because he had _watched_ them?

"Of course. Although the woman I hired didn't do a good job of finding out how good Sakura has become, she gave me excellent information on you."

"Teme," Naruto snarled. Anger thrummed through his veins, clouding his mind. His muscles tensed, and his hands curled into fists. He shouldn't have been surprised that Sasuke would be prepared before going into a fight, but this was beyond anything Naruto could have expected.

A low growl echoed through his mind. Kyuubi was lurking just beneath the surface, and Naruto could sense him – head lowered, lips writhing and pulled back to show rows of white, razor-edged teeth. Chakra bubbled just past the gate, waiting for the simplest ascertain so the demon could wrap his energy around Naruto.

"Why are you even here, Sasuke? Did you send us that note?"

For the first time, Sasuke seemed surprised, though it was barely visible anyway. Then he gathered his bearings, shaking his head in exasperation. "Only you would think I would be childish enough to write a note, usaratonkachi."

Now it was Naruto's turn to be confused. "You mean, you didn't write the note to me and Sakura telling us about Takai?"

Sasuke seemed to deliberate for a moment before his countenance changed, and he looked at Naruto with absolute seriousness written on every part of his body. "Information is a valuable tool, but I didn't come to Amegakure to talk with you."

The blonde nodded, understanding. "And this time I mean it, Sasuke," Naruto said lowly. "You're coming back with me."

"My life is mine the way the I choose to live it. You do not dictate what I do." Sasuke blinked, but the intensity never left his eyes. "Our fight was short-lived three years ago, usaratonkachi, and I am here to finish it."

Ugh, could he stop calling him that? "There are thousands of people here; we could hurt them!" Naruto protested, despite how much he wanted to fight.

"Don't waste my time, Naruto. If you can prove yourself worthy enough to hear what I think about Takai, then so be it. But we have something to finish." The black haired ninja's chakra rose effortlessly. "Can you keep your promise this time… Naruto?"

He couldn't believe what his teammate was doing, much less completely understand why he was doing this. Sasuke had never been one to talk much, and here he was, talking more than Naruto, yet somehow still remaining as he had been in the past. Maybe he was simply explaining like he used to because Naruto was too busy paying attention to other things to understand what he was saying.

Naruto's chakra matched his teammate's, the air filling with electricity. He couldn't take this anymore. He was done talking; Sasuke should know that he had never been one to do nothing when he could fight. So Naruto charged, hand flashing down and clasping a kunai. With a ferocious clash of metal that shook both of their hands, the steel of Sasuke's sword and the dark alloy of the kunai met.

Sasuke's other hand reached around, grasping onto Naruto and holding him there. For a moment, Naruto did nothing, but he sensed a rise in Sasuke's chakra, as if he were gathering it for a jutsu. The blonde's eyes widened as his mind flashed to three years ago, a sword stuck in Yamato's shoulder as a full-body Chidori numbed his teacher's senses.

Panicking slightly, Naruto gathered his chakra, as much of it as he could, and shoved it at his ex-teammate. It was at just the right moment too, because Sasuke released the lightning, and it spread out like jagged lines of white flame. Naruto wretched his arm from Sasuke's grasp, haphazardly thrusting his chakra out of every pore in his body.

As the lightning hit Naruto's chakra, it looked as if it had collided with a brick wall. An explosion rocked the air, blowing both teammates back. Naruto's body ached when he slammed onto the ground, but he stood, quickly crouching, ready to attack. Sasuke was standing, and as he looked at Naruto, the rounin's eyes began to bleed blood red.

_Sharingan…_

There was no doubt that Sasuke's sharingan allowed him the ability to see the demon within him, but Naruto didn't care. This time, Kyuubi was working with him, and Naruto knew the fox wouldn't hesitate to help should he need to.

Even though Sasuke didn't utter a word, Naruto knew what this meant. Sasuke had to get serious, even if they had simply collided with a force of chakra. He had to realize that Naruto had grown, too.

The blonde's mind was racing, but he had to remember the arsenal of jutsu he had learned. He couldn't use any of the water jutsu he knew – it was a very good conductor for lightning, and wouldn't do him any good.

Wind was his best option, as well as his natural element.

Of course, should the elements be switched, Naruto would have to switch as well. There was no way he would use wind to fan the flames of Sasuke's fire jutsu, but he doubted that his use of water was sufficient enough to stop any attacks from the opposite element.

Then, as if words were no longer needed for communication, Sasuke rushed toward him, and Naruto reciprocated. He shoved his chakra throughout his body, giving it the speed it needed to work faster. It was as fast as he could go, and he zigzagged toward his teammate, watching the black-specked eyes move a split second slower than Naruto's actual steps.

Taijutsu had never been one of Naruto's strong points, but he had trained with Lee a little bit, and his taijutsu had improved. He wasn't sure how well he could perform the movements at this speed, but his body just seemed to move.

His arm swung, body moving in a serious of punches and roundhouse kicks that Sasuke avoided, but the Uchiha wasn't making progress, either. The movements were so fast that Naruto's eyes weaved in and out of focus, still adjusting to motions faster than they were used to.

He jumped up, swinging his leg around, but Sasuke tipped to the side, eyes calculating and watching every move he made. The rounin spun, sending a kick to the ground, but Naruto jumped up, shoving a punch toward Sasuke's head. The black haired ninja's eyes widened infinitesimally as Naruto's fist clipped the front strands of his hair.

The missing ninja stepped back, but Naruto advanced, each punch and kick of his evaded and a reciprocation of the same moves. Every time Sasuke started to attack, Naruto somehow managed to still push him back and dodge each of Sasuke's blows.

Muscles strained as he followed their progression, his eyes fighting to match the speed at which he moved. They were still sore from working on speed with Kakashi and Chisoku, but he could manage. They were only the smallest fraction slower, and it didn't seem to make much of a difference. For now, he would live with it. He had something up his sleeve that not even Sasuke would dare to guess.

Finally, Sasuke seemed to have had enough. He ducked, shoving his arm out and hitting Naruto squarely in the chest. In one smooth move he unsheathed his sword, tip slicing easily through the top of Naruto's left shoulder. Naruto let out a cry of pain, but arched back, the tip slipping out of his skin as Naruto pivoted on his right arm, legs swinging around and knocking the sword out of the way.

The pain sliced through his body as he stood still and attempted to move the muscles in his left arm. This wasn't good. He hadn't gotten hit with lightning, but his arm felt almost as useless.

_Dammit_, Naruto growled. His vision was slowing. _Think! Think though it!_ he commanded himself. He had come this far, and now was not the time to give up. A snarl of determination seemed to rumble through his core, and he let a small smirk touch his lips.

The demon didn't need his thanks to know that Naruto appreciated it.

Sasuke moved to collect his sword, but the blonde blocked him, thrusting his body forward and smacking his leg into the rounin's stomach. For a moment, Naruto had the advantage. His punches hit, knocking the air from the Sasuke's lungs and cracking against his jaw. Then, Sasuke jumped back, red eyes empty yet calculating, ignoring the blood gently dripping from his split lip.

Quickly, his hands flashed through hand signs that Naruto's eyes couldn't follow, the fingertips of his right hand ending near his mouth. This time, a smile of assurance grew on Naruto's lips, even though he knew he shouldn't feel confident yet. He bent down, moving his own hands quickly before holding them over the ground.

A giant ball of fire blasted into sight, the flames licking intense heat all over the clearing. _Come on, come on!_ Naruto cried, pulling water from the earth with as much force as he could muster. For a moment, the drops dewed over the grass in small, glistening balls, until it seemed as if they were being pulled into a vortex as the water swirled into a large, wet dragon.

With a roar of fury the dragon opened his mouth, swallowing the fireball and continuing its descent. A split second was all Naruto needed to see Sasuke's eyes widen as the dragon hurled itself toward him, and Naruto sped into the dragon's wake. Despite the good plan, Sasuke was ready, and Naruto barely had enough time to duck before Sasuke's arm swung over his head.

Swing, duck, kick, block – Naruto could barely think beyond commanding his body to move, and it was rare at that. It seemed that Lee's taijutsu lessons had come in handy after all because his body was just _moving_, countering all of Sasuke's moves on its own. It had to be – because his eyes were barely keeping up with this fast pace, and all he was thinking was, _I can't get hit_.

He was forcing his eyes, straining them to see despite their protest. He didn't like this any more than they did, but he had to see. They would never be up to par with Sasuke's sharingan – that was the way for most people. The Hyuuga and Uchiha were born with advantages over others, but it was how they trained and how the "normal" ninja trained that made a difference.

The Uchiha or Hyuuga could have all the talent in the world, but with training like Gai or Lee's, or even speed (though aided by a demon fox) when Naruto had fought against Neji in the chuunin exams, they could be defeated. And Naruto was determined to do this.

Suddenly, with one shot, Sasuke dodged, turned, and shoved his hand into Naruto's chest, pale fingers buzzing with lightning. Naruto flew away with a cry of pain, bolts of energy numbing his body as he fell to the ground. Slowly, Sasuke gathered his sword as Naruto struggled to stand.

Red chakra was suddenly humming just over his skin, and while he grunted in pain, he knew Kyuubi was fixing his body, making it easier to fight. His muscles were no longer in shock, and they felt sore, but definitely useful again.

_Thanks, Kyuubi._

_Pay attention, Twerp_.

And just in time. Sasuke, who had seemed to gather his sword while Kyuubi had been healing Naruto, slashed the weapon down, tendrils of energy flying towards him. Even though he couldn't see it, he felt it, and charged up his chakra once more, wrapping it around himself. At least that would give him some protection, but he needed something else. He didn't have wind like Temari to blow things away, but he could do something similar.

Naruto's hands flashed through signs, bringing up a wall of water as he ducked and hit the ground – not a moment too soon. The lightning activated the water like millions of tiny electric cells, creating a small explosion as water rained over him. Sasuke, of course, was left unscathed, but Naruto knew that while Sasuke had a split lip, a cut on his chest, and possibly a cracked rib, he had no scratches yet.

Which, of course, was about to change.

00000

The ground rocked with mini earthquakes, and Kiba grunted. "Che, can they keep it down a little?" he complained.

He had finally managed to get the native and foreign chuunin out of the Academy, but it was impossible for him and Hinata to get them to move together toward the Amekage Tower. Kaori clung to Akamaru's back, nervous grey eyes constantly on the forest to her left as each powerful strike somewhere over there caused the earth to shake.

Hinata was being as kind as possible, attempting to ask the petrified chuunin to move, but it was like herding cats. Nothing was getting done, and he knew that if these people didn't get to the Tower any time soon, things could go terribly wrong. He glanced toward the woods, gritting his teeth. He hoped to Kami Sakura was all right, because Naruto would kill him if she wasn't.

But this? This was ridiculous, and he had had enough of these immature, squabbling little chuunin. "Hinata!" he cried, and while she kept her eyes on the other ninja, hands poised in front of her, she sidled up next to him.

"Hai, Kiba-kun?" she asked breathlessly, but her gaze was determined.

Akamaru bounded to Kiba's side, chuffing in annoyance and white fur ruffled uncharacteristically. Kaori's eyes were wide, legs and hands gripping the large dog viciously. Kiba glanced around quickly, anger narrowing his eyes as he watched the chuunin run around like frightened, untrained genin.

Besides, this was not going as well as he had planned.

"Take Kaori. Run through these idiots and lead them toward the tower. Akamaru will help me get them going from back here, and if we do it right, they should follow you."

"Right!" she murmured. Hinata stepped toward Kaori, body language slightly awkward, but Kiba could tell she was trying her best. Akamaru was standing still, but his body was as tense as a coiled spring, eyes trained ahead of him as Hinata gently placed a hand on Kaori's back.

The little girl looked up, grey eyes wide and searching. "I'm going to carry you, Kaori-chan," Hinata said firmly but gently in her high, quiet voice. "Kiba-kun believes we can lead these ninja, and he doesn't want you to get hurt. Are you ready, Kaori-chan?"

Slowly, the caramel haired girl nodded, carefully loosening her fingers from Akamaru's fur. Hinata picked her up and placed the small girl on her back. "Hold onto me," the Hyuuga instructed, and Kaori grasped her hands around Hinata's neck as the pale-eyed kunoichi held on to both of Kaori's legs.

Kiba glanced at Akamaru, and the dog gave a growl of approval. When he looked at Hinata, she nodded, rushing forward and occasionally shouting, "Follow me, please!" as she tried to push through the throng of uncontrollable ninja. Kiba crouched, eyes narrowing.

"Ikuze, Akamaru!" he shouted.

The large white dog barked, charging forward and snapping his jaws viciously. He nipped at the chuunin's heels, causing the ones in the back to bump into the ninja ahead of them. Well, he must be angrier than he had thought. Normally, Akamaru was calm and would reprimand Kiba for his impatience, but they had to be getting on Akamaru's nerves too if the dog was this agitated.

Dozens of frightened cries rang throughout the streets as Kiba pushed them forward, Akamaru bounding back and forth, teeth clipping a few chuunin's pant legs. Kiba was yelling, heightening his chakra to try to scare the ninja into moving away from him.

A quick glance to his right assured him that Hinata was halfway through the pack, trying to fight her way to the front. Kiba gritted his teeth. This was ridiculous. He had never met a more scatterbrained group of ninja. Even when Naruto was a genin – or even in the Academy when he, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji would skip class – he was never this bad.

Miraculously, slowly but surely, it seemed as if it were working. Hinata had just reached the front of the fray, and it appeared as if she had gathered a few ninja to follow her. They were beckoning to the other ninja around them, and that combined with Kiba and Akamaru's efforts to get the back rows of chuunin to move seemed to draw the large crowd into gradual forward movement.

"Yes!" Kiba yelled, and Akamaru voiced his agreement. "Keep it up, Akamaru!"

With a few more snaps and a few more minutes of urging, they finally had the large mass of chuunin running toward the Amekage Tower. Deciding to put some of his other skills to work, Kiba called to Akamaru as he ran toward the side, bouncing up and down houses until he hopped easily onto one's roof. Over two house roofs quickly and he jumped down next to Hinata.

Though she was already breathing hard, Kiba still heard Hinata's small gasp. He smiled, but looked ahead determinedly. "Faster, Hinata-chan!" he called. Time was running short, and he needed to do this quickly and efficiently. He could already hear the explosions echoing dimly in his ears (dimly because of the noise from the hundred or so chuunin behind him and the pounding of his own feet), and if they were going to protect most of the village from the dangerous things that could happen when Naruto and Sasuke's chakra met, then they had to reach the Amekage – and soon.

Of course, there was the threat of Takai, but if asked, Kiba would honestly say that he didn't think they would show yet. By the time Naruto finished fighting Sasuke, he would be too worn out to resist them should they try to take him. Sakura would fight, but she was watching Naruto, and Kiba figured the medic could take care of herself.

Finally, the tower loomed in sight, and as Kiba reached the base, Kiba hopped over the ledge and shoved the door open, shouting, "Take Kaori to the Amekage and warn him! I'll make sure all of these guys are in here safely!"

"Hai!" Hinata acknowledged.

"Akamaru! Go to back and make sure everyone gets inside!"

With a bark of understanding, Akamaru charged into the fray, disappearing despite his large size. Kiba could barely hear his dog's barks above the cacophony of rupturing earth to his right, but he knew Akamaru would make it safely. His dog wasn't cowardly and he would get the job done.

After what seemed like countless chuunin entered the tower, the last few squeezed through, and Kiba followed, aware without having to check that Akamaru was beside him. The numerous shouts of anxiety was enough to give him a permanent headache when a booming voice suddenly filled the air.

"SILENCE!"

The room immediately quieted. Upon first meeting the Amekage, Kiba had thought of him as old and somewhat frail, but now he could see why Eiji had been chosen to lead the village. His chakra was powerful, capturing everyone's attention, and he seemed to walk with a quiet air of confidence.

"Now," he started, placing his hands behind his back. "What is this about?"

Kiba shoved his way to the front, occasionally murmuring a gritty "Move!" when a few them looked at him as if he were a ghost. When some refused to get out of the way, Akamaru would simply snap his jaws and the chuunin would part. Kiba let out a sigh of relief as he reached open space next to Hinata. She had since then put Kaori down, and the girl was clutching the kunoichi's loose pant leg.

"Amekage Eiji," Kiba said breathlessly. "Uchiha Sasuke has come, and he is fighting Naruto at the moment."

Eiji nodded. "I am aware."

"Well," the dog ninja continued, "we have reason to believe Takai is almost here. I don't know who, but someone left us a note that said so, and with Naruto weakened from his fight from Sasuke, he won't be able to fight them too well."

"And Sakura?"

Kiba hesitated a moment. "I think she can take care of herself, but I'm still worried. I don't know how good this group is – none of us do."

Amekage Eiji thought for a moment, fingers stroking his chin when he suddenly turned to the group of chuunin. "Did you hear that?" A collective (and silent) nod answered his question, and he turned back to Kiba. "So why are you here?"

"To warn you, Amekage-sama. So far, Takai has been after medical ninja, and now we have reason to believe they might be after the jinchuuriki, too. We came here so you could gather your jounin to move the civilians into the tunnels, or fortresses, or wherever you hide – that way the majority can be kept safe, as well as the medical ninja guarded."

"Interesting proposal," Eiji murmured. "And I would have to say that you are definitely right. Chuunin from Amegakure: step forward!" Eiji commanded, voice deep and sharp, but somehow not intimidating. Quite a few ninja stepped to the front. "Kazukiro Naito!"

"Hai!" The chuunin stepped forward. He was around Kiba's height with black hair and what seemed to be the typical garb for chuunin – his pants and short sleeve shirt were black, and the vest was navy blue. He stood still, waiting.

Eiji slowly paced back and forth in front of Naito. "Hiroyuki has told me good things about you." The Amekage stopped, and studied him for a moment. "He's told me you're the leader of your squad, and that you have a very good, analytical mind. Are you ready to use it to help the village?"

For a moment, Naito seemed to remember something. His eyes brightened, and he glanced out the windows in front of him toward the eastern training fields. His gaze sharpened when he looked back at the Amekage and nodded.

"Good," Eiji nodded back. "Who're your teammates?"

Naito seemed to relax. He pointed at two other chuunin – a girl with pale hair and tan skin and a boy with brown hair and eyes. "Norimono Kotone and Hachiro Daisuke. We're chuunin squad 17, Amekage-sama."

Though Daisuke looked more than willing to step up, Kotone glanced around as if she wasn't quite ready to admit she wanted to help – or if she wanted to help at all. She looked unsure about the circumstances in which she had just been thrust, but knew she couldn't do anything about it.

Eiji moved to his desk and sat down, his slight hesitation the only clue to Kiba that he was older than he looked. The Amekage sifted a few papers, then looked at Naito and his team sternly. "Naito, I want you and your teammates to gather one other team to help you evacuate the civilians, as well as any ninja resting at home. Two jounin will accompany you, as well."

The entire room was silent, and Kiba could almost see the responsibility settle on Naito's shoulders. The chuunin's eyes hardened, determination settling in his gaze as he affirmed Eiji's order with a tenacious "Hai!"

As Kiba stared at Naito, he realized that he had been wrong. He had always assumed that, while many of the rounin came from those countries, the villages' teachings weren't very good, their ninja not very talented – save for the missing ninja, of course. But he had been wrong. These ninja were just like his generation – a little rougher and perhaps not as talented, but he could tell that they tried their hardest, and while they may get beaten in a fight, it wasn't because they didn't want to win.

The dark haired chuunin was glancing around the room, searching for the other team that he would take with him. Finally, he spoke, and the team he had called Team 11 stepped forward. Team 11 didn't look too strong, but very connected – which was important when fighting together. One of the ninja had maroon-black hair and equally colored eyes, and the other had light brown hair with a stern gaze. The kunoichi had white–blond hair that looked more silver than gold, with dark eyes that looked almost red. They were a very stern squad, but looked dependable.

Quickly, Eiji turned to Kiba. "Where is the other member of your squad? I must speak with him."

The dog ninja thought for a moment before Hinata gently touched his shoulder. She nodded, eyes kind, and he understood. It wasn't his fault he couldn't quite remember – he had enough to think about, not to mention trying to remain calm while he dealt with the turmoil and confusion he felt from Akamaru.

Hinata turned her pale eyes to Amegakure's leader. "Ano, if I may, Amekage – sama?" she asked softly. Kiba was surprised that she hadn't stuttered at all.

Eiji bowed his head.

"Shikamaru-kun is in the Academy. Naruto-kun instructed him to stay while he went to face Sasuke-san." Her cheeks were pink from having everyone's attention focused on her, and she started to move her fingers nervously.

"Arigatou, Hinata-san," Eiji said clearly, voice deep. His gaze moved to Naito. "Are you and your friends ready?" When the chuunin nodded, the corners of Eiji's lips tipped up. "Good. Hiroyuki and Seiichi are already spreading the word for everyone to head to the tunnels. Kiba-san, Hinata-san, would you help us gather Amegakure's citizens?"

"Hai!" they said simultaneously. Kiba smiled as Akamaru barked his agreement, determined despite the confusion the large dog felt.

The Amekage murmured something that sounded like approval. "Please feel free to leave Kaori here with me. I will make sure no harm comes to her." Hinata looked down, but Kaori nodded slowly, and Eiji turned to the chuunin. When he spoke next, his voice rang with authority. "Dismissed!"

With fluid movements achieved from years of practice, the eight chuunin jumped from the open window behind Amekage Eiji's desk. They were only on the second or third floor, but Akamaru bounded down, jumping to the second floor ledge before landing safely on the ground. Since they would need to conserve their energy, Naito suggested they quicken the pace, but keep it at a walk. Most agreed with a word or phrase, but Team 11 nodded stiffly.

Kiba sucked in a breath. Well, it wasn't his plan to get suck with weird, laconic ninja, but then again, nothing about this mission was going according to plan. Takai was coming, or was already here, and now Sasuke had suddenly appeared and leapt into the fray. What he wanted, Kiba wasn't sure, but he knew Naruto and Sakura wanted him back.

He wasn't sure how he felt about it, really. He had been part of the team to retrieve Sasuke, and had been in critical condition after fighting that Sound bastard Sakon. It wasn't like he regretted it – the fight had helped him to get stronger, and had built up the bond between him and Akamaru. He just had mixed feelings about this whole thing.

One thing he was sure of, however, was that it would take a lot and a long time for Sasuke to regain his trust, or the trust of anyone else – if the traitor did come back at all.

A soft hand gently touched his shoulder, and he turned to see Hinata, pale eyes concerned. "Kiba-kun?" she asked quietly. He was about to answer when a voice interrupted him – and it wasn't a pleasant one.

"Why did Amekage-sama pick us to do this?" someone huffed. It was the tan girl from Naito's team, and her arms were crossed with annoyance. Kotone was her name, he believed.

The other boy on the team, Hachiro Daisuke, gave his teammate an unfathomable look, but his voice sounded bored and sharp at the same time. "Amekage-sama knows he can trust us, Kotone." He shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to walk at their quick pace.

Kotone glared. "So? Don't pull your 'I don't give a damn about anything,' attitude, Daisuke," she said harshly. "I know you don't want to do this, either. I mean, it's not like we have anything to do with this problem. That _stupid_ medic from _Konoha_ – " (she practically sneered the name) " – came and brought that stupid organization with her. Now the whole town's in danger, and it's all that slut's fault."

The dog ninja blinked. This chick had a sharp tongue.

"Poor Naruto-kun is in danger, too," she sighed, but she didn't stop there. Her eyes were angry again. "Besides, what right do they have to come here? She stops at the clinic and shows off, trying to tell all of us how everything's supposed to be done, but it's useless. She has no use whatsoever, and she shouldn't even be here."

Suddenly, Naito whirled around, fists clenched. "Shut up, Kotone!" he yelled. She blinked and leaned back, but he wasn't finished. "You think you know everything, but you don't. Amekage-sama asked them to be here! Besides, Sakura-chan is the apprentice of the legendary medic sannin Tsunade, who also happens to be the Godaime Hokage. And what have you done to better your skills? Nothing. You have talent but you sit there and chase after boys, but when you're forced to do something, you whine just like an immature two-year-old.

"Hell, this isn't even their village and Naruto-san and Sakura-chan are fighting to protect it. Even these two, part of the back-up team are helping to keep everyone safe. And what did you do? You complained. So take a good look at yourself, Kotone, because they're not the problem – you are."

Naito let the words sink in for a moment before he whirled and stalked off. "Let's go!" he called, voice a myriad of emotions as he pushed them into a light run.

Quickly, Kiba glanced at Hinata, and she looked as surprised as he did by the sudden fight between the team. He could see the concern and confusion written on the heiress's face – she always did have a kind heart. Akamaru suddenly sidled up to him, bumping into his leg slightly. Kiba patted the white head. He knew Akamaru did not like tension, but soon they would meet up with the jounin and get down to work.

Hopefully, that would dissipate the remaining tension.

An explosion lightly shook the earth. Kiba clenched his jaw and stopped, looking toward the eastern training fields. His eyes narrowed in determination as he thought, _Naruto, win this time!_

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**A/N:** So there's the twentieth chapter. Woo. Sorry this took so long guys. This chapter was way longer than I thought it'd be, and school has been weighing me down with stupid requirements when I'd really just like to write, but whatever. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I'm sorry the fight scene between Naruto and Sasuke isn't that long. I had to switch to other perspectives before I got to into the fight because most of this is happening in the first stages.

Anyway, thank you guys for everything and your reviews on the last chapter! Oh, and a question for everyone: **If anyone reads/watches Bleach along with Naruto, if I wrote a Bleach story, would you guys read it?**

Thank you all for your dedication to this story, and please answer my question! I haven't tired of writing stories for Naruto, but I've been eager to explore the other areas of anime that I like – namely Bleach. I look forward to your opinions!

- wolf's paradise


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** OH. MY. GOSH. I actually updated this thing! Can you believe it? After a lot of hard work, I can believe it, but it's still hard lol. I do apologize that I haven't gotten this out sooner and it took me forever to write, but such are the wonders of life getting in the way of fun things we'd like to do.

Either way, this chapter was hard to get out because even though I've got an idea of what to write, it's not going to be a chapter I'm immensely proud of. But, I hope you guys will like this ridiculous chapter anyway lol. I just want to thank you all for your wonderful support. I love all my reviewers! Thanks everyone!

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_Previously…_

_Akamaru suddenly sidled up to him, bumping into his leg slightly. Kiba patted the white head. He knew Akamaru did not like tension, but soon they would meet up with the jounin and get down to work._

_Hopefully, that would dissipate the remaining tension._

_An explosion lightly shook the earth. Kiba clenched his jaw and stopped, looking toward the eastern training fields. His eyes narrowed in determination as he thought, _Naruto, win this time!

Chapter Twenty-One

She was running faster than she ever had in her life. How in the world could that woman have found out? She had been discreet; they hadn't even felt her chakra or her presence until it was too late. It was a lucky break that other shinobi had showed up, but she still couldn't fathom how that bitch had found out.

Izanami raced through the trees, dodging trunks and ducking stray branches. That note had only expressed what she thought from that small chat she and Samanji had had, and she really did hope it saved at least one of those ninja's lives. Preferably the medic, because Izanami knew what was coming, and there would be no mercy, no break from the constant pain.

There was no way she could be a part of them anymore. She realized she would have never agreed to any of this when she was younger if that woman hadn't found them. Samanji was right – they didn't owe her anything. And her epiphany had seemed even more powerful when Samanji had told her why he stayed. It didn't matter if she liked that man before (and still did), she would not put up with this any longer.

A small spike of chakra alerted her just before she saw him, and with a quick flip she dodged, slamming her foot on a large branch and arching her body away to land lightly on her feet, facing the perpetrator. Her heart sunk.

"Samanji," she whispered.

"Why? Why did you do it?" he asked accusingly, menace in his steps as he stalked towards her. She stood her ground.

"I'm sick of this." Her lip curled. "I'm sick of being under her thumb, and I'm sick of hurting people."

Samanji let out a large sigh, shaking his head, but his black eyes were looking at her as if she had just betrayed him. "You've gotten weak, Nami."

Her eyebrows slammed together. "Don't call me that," she snarled. Her heart was pounding in her chest. This wasn't going well.

"And you know better than to talk to me like that," Samanji snapped.

"You were right, you know. We don't owe her anything. That's why I'm leaving. That's why I'm getting out of here. I'm done with all this shit. Go fuck yourself, Samanji, 'cause you'll never see me again." Okay, so that was a little harsh, but she had to say it.

For a moment, he looked hurt, and opened his mouth to say something, but someone else sauntered out from behind the trees, and Izanami's heart sunk even further. Shit, this _really_ wasn't going well.

"Well, well, so you admit it, Izanami?" It was Shuhan. Damn. "You admit that you were the one to betray us?"

Izanami bristled, but there wasn't much she could do. Faced with Samanji and Shuhan, there was no doubt what the outcome of this confrontation would be. She had thought about it, but had tried to force herself to go fast enough to get out of Amegakure, because if she did, she would probably be safe. But in this option, she knew the answer. It petrified her, but she _wouldn't_ show her fear.

"That note should have warned them. I hope they make you fall," she stated boldly.

Shuhan heaved a sigh, placing her carefully manicured fingertips on her forehead as she shook her head. "Izanami, Izanami," she patronized, glancing up a moment later from between her fingers. "You disappoint me."

"Glad to be of service."

That irritating smile on Shuhan's lips faltered just a bit, and Izanami felt a surge of pride. So what if she'd die soon? If she could make that carefully cultivated persona slip even the slightest bit, then she was proud. Not many could make Shuhan lose her temper, but Samanji could, and now, Izanami could be added to that list – even if it had wavered just a bit.

"You were a good ninja, Izanami. Pity I must dispose of you."

"Never working for you again sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

"Samanji!" Shuhan barked, that face completely twisted with rage, delicate hands clenched into fists. For the first time, Izanami felt as if she was truly seeing that caring, kind leader she had grown up with. She _wasn't_ caring, or kind, but the inside was ugly, disgusting, like dirt wrapped in the thinnest layer of gold.

"Kill her."

It was surprising and a bit heartening to see that Samanji looked completely stunned. "What?"

"I said to kill her, you fool!" Shuhan shouted.

But only a bit. Because deep down Izanami knew that Samanji would kill her, but to see he still cared – even marginally – made her feel better. Besides, she didn't want him to suffer. His life had been worse than hers, and while they both could have chosen different paths, this was the one they'd chosen, and she wouldn't trade it for the world. Samanji had suffered enough. She wanted him to live.

"D-Demo… Shuhan-sama…"

That once sweet voice was slick with venom. "Did you hear what I said? Kill her, and if you don't, _I'll kill you, too_." All of a sudden, that crack patched itself, and Shuhan was once again her charismatic self. "I have things to do. I'm leaving." She turned around, doing exactly that, but just as she was about to disappear into the forest, she looked over her shoulder. "And believe me, Samanji, I'll know if you do or not."

Her disappearance didn't matter to Izanami. Her eyes were on Samanji, but she had to make this easy on him, and she had to make herself feel better. So she bolted, breezing past him, hoping that this would help.

It did.

Samanji caught up to her, grabbing her arm (albeit gently), and hauling her back to him, her back against his chest. She struggled, managing to break free before he caught her again and she tripped over her feet. She landed on her ass but hurriedly stood to face him.

Those black eyes – for the first time she had ever looked into them in earnest – were tortured. "I'm…sorry, Nami," he whispered, before flickering behind her. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, waiting. His words ghosted over her ears. "You were the only one I never wanted to hurt."

Then there was nothing. No pain, no awareness, just a barely detected snap and she was floating away from that awful world and into bliss.

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Goddammit.

Naruto flipped back, feeling sticky red liquid slip down his forearm. He glanced at the tip of Sasuke's blade, and grit his teeth when he saw the silver stained red. He knew it was only a matter of time until he would get scratched, but he was hoping for it to be later than sooner.

So much for that.

"Why are you even here, Sasuke?" Naruto growled, wiping his arm on his shorts.

Sasuke remained impassive. "Call it what you wish."

Irritation flooded Naruto's system like a tidal wave, and he charged with a loud cry, kunai gripped tightly in his right hand. It wouldn't do much against a sword, but he had a lot more control over it. The two clashed, Naruto barely managing to stop the sword from continuing its path and slicing his hand open.

Granted, he remembered that he'd basically mutilated his own hand when he was a genin, but he hadn't liked it then and he certainly didn't want it to happen now. They pushed against each other, matched in strength, and when Naruto spoke, his voice was rough.

"Why, Sasuke? Why are you here?"

The rogue ninja seemed only a little surprised that Naruto had the strength to hold his sword at bay, but Naruto could barely see it.

"It wouldn't make a difference if I told you now what I have come here to say."

Naruto growled. Couldn't that damn traitor just _answer_ a question for once in his life? Naruto was growing really sick and tired of Sasuke's bizarre, vague answers. They didn't even help him.

But he still had that ace in the hole, and he didn't want to use it – not yet. That was saved for when he desperately needed something with which to turn the tables if it ever got to the point where Sasuke overwhelmed him. It ate at Naruto's pride to think that after all of his hard work Sasuke would still be better.

They suddenly stepped apart, Sasuke flipping to another branch and Naruto using one overhead to help him further back. He could tell Sasuke wasn't really trying – not at the moment, at least – and that made him furious.

Well, he would just have to make Sasuke take him seriously.

He gathered his chakra, letting it swirl and condense inside of him before bursting off, attacking Sasuke in a flurry of limbs and well-timed punches. For a while, he had the upper hand, but somehow, Sasuke seemed to read one of his movements, ducked, and swiped his sword at Naruto's stomach. He felt his shirt rip, the tip slice across his abdomen. His eyes widened, and suddenly he was on the defensive. It was a collection of moves that he almost couldn't follow.

Suddenly, they both jumped away, and this time, Naruto could clearly see the slight surprise on the Uchiha's face. Naruto glanced at his hands. He was surprised, too. When Sasuke had turned the tables and attacked him back, Naruto had managed to make little puffs of air with his fists, dispelling the lightning practically buzzing off of Sasuke's person.

There was no way he could remember how he'd done it, but he had.

Without a word, Sasuke was gone, quickly appearing right behind Naruto, sword raised and shimmering with silvery-white light. Naruto barely had time to raise a kunai before the weapon crashed into him, the force of it jarring his arms and sending a shock through the muscles that had nothing to do with lightning.

Sasuke had just made this fight a lot more serious.

Naruto gritted his teeth. He was feeling déjà vu all over again, and he didn't like it. He was reminded of water, a valley, and the irrepressible urge to take Kyuubi's power and beat Sasuke into submission so he could bring him back to Konoha. And when he'd seen Sasuke again those years later, he'd hurt Yamato, Sakura, and even Naruto himself.

The dumb bastard just didn't get it. And now he would have to use his secret weapon, the deadly move that he had hoped he wouldn't need.

All because Sasuke made this serious. Which is what he wanted, yes. But not this serious.

The missing nin channeled strength to his arms, pushing Naruto back, the tree branch on which he was seated creaking and groaning from the force. In a sudden fit of anger, Naruto shoved back, swirling all his chakra until it was a flurry of air blowing around them.

It was angry and wild, and when he barely saw Sasuke narrow his eyes, Naruto knew that Sasuke could feel Kyuubi's power infused with his.

"You've changed," Sasuke murmured.

Somehow, Naruto guessed that Sasuke didn't mean in power or knowledge. He meant something, but he didn't have time to figure it out before Sasuke jumped away, his hands flying in a series of symbols much too fast for Naruto to read.

For a moment, his breath and chest hitched, thinking they were the signs for _Chidori_, but instead of Sasuke's hand morphing into a hot flash of chirping birds, short bolts of lightning shot from his fingers, all aimed at Naruto.

His eyes widened, definitely not expecting anything like this. They were racing towards him, the lightning so concentrated and reactive that it was chirping. They were like…_Chidori_ darts, and he had absolutely no idea how in the world he was going to stop them from hitting him.

Doing his best to dodge, Naruto flipped back, swung his arms, flung tiny pools of water at the lightning, hoping the thicker, more viscous substance would slow down the lightning, even though water was a natural conductor.

But of course, he would be hit. No less than five sank into his body, his arms and legs feeling numb and useless as he stood there, blood dripping onto the ground as he panted and heaved.

_Dammit,_ he growled. With a technique like that, there was almost no way he'd be able to get to Sasuke. And he'd never seen it before. His body ached and felt weak, and he knew that it had to have been a new technique. Something in his chest tightened and he felt the tendrils of jealousy slithering through him in thick, angry coils.

Yes, Naruto had Kyuubi and he had grown enough to the point where he could do Hiraishin relatively correctly. But Sasuke… He had _still_ gotten better, improving his _Chidori_, and Naruto still felt like he was being left behind.

And he hated it. He hadn't remembered how much until now, until Sasuke was standing directly in front of him.

The knot in his stomach tightened, the slightly foreign feeling spreading throughout his limbs. He sent a silent murmur of thanks inward, relaxing his muscles as he felt Kyuubi's chakra swirl inside of him, curing the numb spots and the lightly convulsing chakra nodes.

Sasuke stared at him. "You still use that power?"

"Kyuubi's a part of me. I can't get rid of him anymore than you can stop using the abilities that _snake_ gave you," Naruto growled.

Sasuke said nothing, but Naruto knew he was right. Sasuke just wasn't admitting it.

He was tired and sore, but Naruto still tried to slowly gather his chakra, attempting to be careful so Sasuke wouldn't be able to tell. His insides felt achy and exhausted, the nodes protesting slightly even though Kyuubi's own chakra was helping to ease his muscles. Sasuke just watched him, red eyes calculating.

It was a look that had Naruto's gut swirling and clenching. It reminded him too much of the Valley of the End when Sasuke had transformed into his second level seal release. He didn't like it.

"You haven't changed at all, usaratonkachi," Sasuke murmured.

The words ate at Naruto's insides, but he wouldn't be goaded. "Neither have you, teme."

"Hn."

Naruto still watched the traitor standing across from him, warily watching for any move Sasuke would make. He'd hoped things would be different, but Naruto should've known better. He should have known that nothing was going to be the same, even if he did see Sasuke again.

Slowly, Sasuke raised his sword. Naruto tensed his body, eyes straining, but suddenly, Sasuke was gone. His eyes widened, senses reaching out, and almost before he could react, the rounin flashed behind him.

The blonde whirled, kunai in hand, bracing against the force of Sasuke's attack. The branch couldn't hold anymore. It broke, snapped, throwing them both to the ground, but neither of them stopped.

They twisted in mid-air, weapons still clashing against each other with all the force of carefully welded steel. Naruto wrapped his chakra around the kunai, giving it extra strength and power against Sasuke's sword. The rounin wrapped a hand around Naruto's right wrist, holding him and the kunai in place. Naruto reciprocated.

What the hell Sasuke was planning, Naruto didn't know, but their chakra swirled around them, conflicting and fighting almost as if the powers had wills of their own.

But then, Naruto's eyes widened when he felt it – the building of chakra when Sasuke was planning to perform a full body _Chidori_. He would have never noticed it before, but after seeing Sasuke those few years ago and going over that situation constantly in his mind, he could feel it.

He couldn't move!

What should he do what should he do?

_Gather your chakra, Twerp!_ Kyuubi demanded, voice dark, violent, and insistent.

Naruto wasn't sure what to make of it, but he did it anyway, blindly trusting the demon inside of him and hoping it wouldn't get him into trouble.

"You can't win, usaratonkachi," Sasuke said lowly, just a hint of venom in his voice. But what surprised Naruto was how his former teammate said it so calmly.

It instantly sent red-hot rage coursing through his system, so dangerous he swore he could have been Kyuubi in that instant.

"We'll see," Naruto ground out, not worrying about the fact that his gums started to ache, his teeth changed slightly, and the whiskers on his face darkened – yet only a small portion of Kyuubi's chakra was actually bleeding into his system.

Soon, their chakra levels were raging off the charts. Naruto gathered his, letting so much escape into the air but also keeping the majority of it humming over the surface of his skin. Sasuke's body was buzzing, little bolts of lightning flashing over his hair and down his torso.

The blonde condensed his chakra, pressing it and molding it with just the air around him almost like he would a Rasen-shurikan. _A little more. A little more!_ he thought frantically when Sasuke's chakra reached its peak.

And then, they were engaged, everything still and silent for a moment, their chakra swirling and crashing and clashing against each other – pushing and trying to find some kind of breaking point.

Naruto looked Sasuke in the eye, his pupils thin like Kyuubi's, and then…

The force of their chakra exploded.

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"Come on, come on! We've got to move!"

Kiba looked at the moving mass of civilians, then on the Amegakure chuunin ushering out of the building. Since Kotone's outburst almost an hour ago, Naito had thrown himself into working through the masses of frightened people and taking on full role as leader. The dog ninja wasn't quite sure he liked being told what to do by a rain chuunin, but this was something serious.

They had been working through the village, getting as many people out as possible, the jounin helping by gathering big groups of twenty civilians and leading them to the shelters.

At the moment, Kiba, Hinata, and the rest of Naito's team were currently trying to help fifteen or so people from the community house in which they lived. It was filled with older civilians, like a sort of home for the elderly all run and owned by a very sensible, very tired-looking middle-aged woman. Her chakra level was at that of a newly made chuunin, and when asked her explanation had been simple.

"Didn't have time for the lifestyle. My mother got sick shortly after I'd passed the exams, and I chose to help her. Now I run a profitable home." She had shrugged. "Simple as that."

She was helping them carefully evacuate the residents, being their guide and reassurance that they would be safe if they followed Hinata. It helped that his current teammate was kind. He and Naito were having a hard time getting all of them out. They saw Akamaru and immediately went to pet him without any thought to the matter that he was a ninja's dog and not the tamest thing in the world.

In five grueling minutes, most of the civilians were out of the community house in which they lived.

"Now, now, hold on, young man," came an elderly voice, one that bespoke of a certain disdain for hurrying. "This has been my home for a long time. I am sure that my daughter will see this is a mistake. I get to stay here."

He heard Naito sigh. "I'm sorry ma'am, but there is an emergency here! We need to help you get to the shelters."

The elderly lady scoffed. "Oh, nonsense. There is no danger, young man." She stopped a few feet away from Kiba, staring at him before her eyes went to Akamaru. The dog bristled the longer she stared, and Kiba cleared his throat, drawing her eyes away.

"Ignorant dog," she muttered. "He should be put down immediately."

This time, it was Kiba's hackles that rose. She really was a crotchety old lady, and had no right to say that about Akamaru. Didn't she know that staring at him for too long was a threat? A challenge of sorts?

Okay, so he was stretching it a bit by expecting her to understand how body language affected a dog or any animal, but she could be more polite.

Naito moved into the room after her, trying to keep her from sitting down as the old woman's daughter – the middle-aged woman who owned the place – walked in, too.

Suddenly, the ground jolted and the house began shaking violently. Kiba grabbed onto the wall, brown eyes wide as he felt force and power mix into the air. Shock made its way to Kiba's senses and he glanced to his right, noticing Hinata standing in the doorway, pale eyes wide as bursts of chakra lanced all around them in angry, caustic waves.

Kiba cringed when he felt Akamaru bump into his leg, the dog's worry and uncertainty leaking into his system. The dog whined, his large body shaking as the air continued to shudder around them. Slowly, the ground became steady again.

The dog ninja panted. It had been a while since he – and probably Hinata – had felt chakra this powerful. The last time Akamaru had acted this way was when he was a puppy in the chuunin exams and Kiba's team had come across Gaara for the first time. The dog had been trembling violently.

He had sensed the bijuu inside of the current Kazekage, and this time was no different.

Akamaru could feel the nine-tailed fox.

And so could everyone in the room.

The combined pressure of Naruto and Kyuubi's chakra against Sasuke's was more than they'd felt in a while, and no doubt the explosion was making everyone turn their heads in the direction of the eastern training fields.

The woman that ran the elderly household was on her hands and knees, head ducked down and panting, sweat soaking through her shirt and falling in little droplets from her face and onto the ground. The old lady was completely shocked as well, holding desperately to the sofa on which she sat. Only Kiba, Hinata, and Naito were standing.

Naito looked over at Kiba, eyes wide. "What the hell was that?" he whispered, voice awed and appalled at the same time.

Kiba's lips pressed into a thin line as the air slowly calmed, and he looked at the training fields again, face grim. "That was Naruto," he said softly, "fighting Sasuke." Kiba looked back at Naito, and sighed, a wave of nostalgia washing over him.

Despite this fight taking place somewhere different, and quite a few years later, Kiba still felt as if he were back in the valley where he had fought Sakon, attempting to get away as he felt Naruto's and Sasuke's untrained chakra burst through the air completely uncontrolled.

Akamaru wasn't too happy with it, either, his shoulder tucked into Kiba's leg, tail down and head lowered.

"What happened?" Naito murmured, and Kiba faced him, surprised. "With that team, I mean. Something happened," Naito explained further.

The dog ninja shook his head. "It's not my place to tell. Besides, I don't even know everything that happened between them. I was just a part of the mission to get Sasuke – the only thing they told me was that he had defected, and we needed to get him back."

"But—"

"Naito-san."

It was Hinata that had spoken, and while her voice was soft and hesitant, she continued. "P-Please l-leave it a-alone."

The rain ninja nodded, even though Kiba could tell he wanted to know more. It wasn't a secret to them that he liked Sakura, but only Kiba knew that Hinata had said that to spare Naruto. She might have liked the blonde, but they knew what was going on between him and teammate.

Frightened exclamations from outside the house brought Kiba's mind back and whirling into gear. Akamaru felt the sudden change, and Kiba gratefully ran a hand quickly over the top of his dog's head in a motion of thanks.

"Let's hurry up! We need to get these people out of here!"

That made everyone else snap out of their daze, the old woman still shocked but all too happy to get out of the immediate area now. Most of the jounin outside were gathering up the abundances of people running from their houses, and Kiba tried to use that to his advantage.

However, it was easier thought than done. The jounin were already so burdened down trying to get all of the screaming civilians going in the direction of the shelters that they were blatantly refusing to help Kiba and the others evacuate the elderly.

Kiba growled, frustrated, Akamaru mimicking his actions. This was utterly ridiculous!

Suddenly, Akamaru was barking viciously, hackles raised. Kiba looked at his dog, followed his line of sight, and sucked in a breath. Wasn't that…Daichi? One of the teacher guys at the Academy Naruto and Sakura were supposed to be attending?

Whoever he was, the man was sneaking into the woods on the left side of the town. Whatever he was doing couldn't be good, and he signaled to Akamaru to run after the guy. After all, he was a jounin! Shouldn't he be helping to evacuate?

Dread settled in Kiba's gut, and he didn't like it. He moved towards the man, hoping to catch him to prove his suspicions wrong.

And then he was being bowled over by a thousand pounds of something heavy and extremely muscled, his vision blurring and equilibrium failing as he turned over and over and over.

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Sakura felt a small smile part her lips. Though both shinobi had grown considerably, it was still the same. Naruto still attacked with the same ferocity, the same urgent need to squash his opponent. In most cases, it was only slightly visible, but when he was placed next to Sasuke, there was no mistaking the difference.

Then again, Sakura had known both of these shinobi for as long as she could remember. Sasuke _had_ taken off when all of them were thirteen, but nothing seemed to have change much about the way he fought.

She could still see the stoic patience in his attacks, the analyzing of his bloodline-activated eyes as he watched Naruto. Sasuke's movements were still smooth, effortless, and unprecedented. He had learned much from the snake sannin, but Sakura had always seen the ease in which Sasuke traveled; it had to be part of being an Uchiha. They were known for their battle prowess and their ability to maneuver fluidly through almost any attack.

How had that one fight gone before? Sakura remembered that a year after Naruto and Jiraiya had disappeared on their training trip, Tsunade had gotten drunk that night—more drunk than was her usual. She had let slip the details of the fight, and Sakura had finally known exactly how Naruto had fought Sasuke.

While it was disturbing to realize how much Naruto had gone through to bring Sasuke back for her, she couldn't get over the thought that the fight must have been something to see. If she could have analyzed each of their moves, their plans, it probably would have been a beautiful fight, no matter how many times she cringed at the remembrance of Naruto's wounds – and the fact her two teammates were fighting against each other.

"He's grown a lot."

Chisoku's voice cut through Sakura's musing, and she turned to look at him. He continued. "He fights hard for what he believes in."

Sakura paused for a few moments, eyes going back to her teammates. "Yes."

Her heart clenched at seeing Sasuke suddenly fighting – really fighting – against Naruto. And she could see how much Naruto detested that in the way he held his body and the way he parried Sasuke's attack.

So much had changed about these two, yet so much had essentially stayed the same. Naruto was displaying skill that she didn't know he'd acquired – though she should have known. The more Naruto fought, the more skilled he grew. As bad as it was, he learned from all the cuts and slashes he obtained.

"You really do like him…don't you?" Chisoku murmured, eyes seeming to stare right through Sakura.

She hesitated a moment, unsure of what to say. "Y-Yes," she finally answered. "He's been through so much. We both have. And I feel…guilty…because I caused half of that. I want to make it up to him. To be there for him.

"I understand."

The medic nodded, gaze going back to her teammates fighting in the field. While they were still essentially the same, she could see when they were both getting serious, and she bit her lip. She wasn't sure if she could watch.

A strange rustle sounded behind her, and Sakura whirled. "Chisoku?"

But the fox wasn't paying attention. His ears were swiveling, nose twitching as he attempted to figure out just what it was. He paused quickly, voice low with a touch of apprehension. "I think it was just a rabbit."

"Does it smell like a rabbit?"

Chisoku chuffed, frustrated. "I don't know. I don't smell anything."

Sakura felt the unease settle in her gut. Chisoku was a summoning fox, his senses better than that of a normal, wild fox. If he didn't smell anything… The medic sighed, pursed her lips, and turned back to watch Naruto and Sasuke's fight.

If it came again, they should probably start to worry, but her thoughts were distracted. As much as she didn't want to watch, she knew she had to. She owed her teammates that much.

She felt Chisoku press against her legs, and looked down, surprised at the fox's boldness. "What is it?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

The fox's hackles were raised, body quivering and ears trained on a spot a few paces from where they sat. The rustle came again, and his whole body jerked to attention, unmoving. "I don't like this," he growled.

But she ignored it – and the dread settling in her stomach. She needed to watch the fight. "Just let it go."

A deep rumble vibrated through Chisoku's body, and she knew it was because he was annoyed. Or frustrated. But either way, she had to support her teammates. Naruto had been fighting so hard, and she had been equally determined to prove her worth, but he deserved it. He deserved for her to watch, to see his progress, to know that even though the other lost teammate she had been pining over was in front of her, there was no doubt in her mind that she would go back to Naruto.

The rustle continued, more insistent this time, and Chisoku jumped, all four legs spread and muscles tense like a wild animal prepared to run, unsure of what to do until they saw what was threatening them.

This time, Sakura knew they had to check into it. This wasn't good. "Let's go."

She gently grabbed the scruff of Chisoku's neck, more for comfort and support for the both of them instead of pulling him along, and slinked away from the fight, carefully walking over to investigate the bush that had rustled. Chisoku was wary, sniffing avidly, body a coiled mass just waiting to be set off.

"Nothing," he muttered, but Sakura knew it couldn't be something as simple as that. Something was going on, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"I think it's targeted at us," Sakura whispered, the hair on her arms rising as goosebumps flushed over her skin. Her body obviously felt the discomfort and slight danger that her mind had dared to ignore.

"I agree. I think – "

A bush further down swished softly.

Chisoku growled, the sound deadly and dangerous, and for the first time in a while, Sakura remembered that Chisoku wasn't a pet. He wasn't plushy and soft and meant to be coddled. He was a fox, one that could be deadly fighter.

"I think we should follow it."

The fox's head whipped back as he stared at her. "Are you crazy?" he almost yelled.

Sakura's mouth pulled into a frown, and she felt the quick rise of anger in her chest, but somehow managed to keep her voice calm. "No, but this could be something bad. Naruto is still fighting Sasuke and I don't want Takai to try to jump in and take him while he's distracted."

"They're not after him, Sakura. They're after you!" he argued.

"I don't know anymore," she said determinedly, "but I know that that letter wasn't fake. Whatever they want with me has something to do with Naruto, too. But now it's my turn to protect him."

He opened his mouth to argue, but shut it slowly when he saw the look in Sakura's jade eyes. He sighed. "All right," he consented. "But I'm going with you."

A brilliant smile spread across Sakura's face. "Of course. Wouldn't want it any other way."

The sound of another bush reached their ears, and as stealthily as they could, they followed the clues. But after a good twenty minutes, Chisoku was getting restless and antsy, and to say Sakura was pissed was an understatement. She was beyond pissed. They had been staying behind so their presence wouldn't be detected, but whoever it was wasn't showing, and they didn't like it.

Finally, they stopped. "This is bad," Sakura murmured. They had travelled a long way, and it wasn't until now that she saw it. "They wanted to get us away from the fight. Away from everything."

Chisoku gave a grim nod. "I agree."

She kneeled down close to Chisoku, voice soft as she checked the area with her chakra. "Sense anyone?"

The fox shook his head, body quivering slightly. "No. I can't feel anything. Not even a bird. And a bird has chakra."

For a few moments, everything was silent, eerie. Suddenly, a small chakra spike caught their attention. Chisoku whirled and growled, head down and tail up, bright white teeth practically glowing. Sakura stood quickly, turning and immediately slipping into a defensive pose, chakra at the ready.

In front of her stood a tall man, black pants and ninja sandals the only things covering his body. There was no forehead protector anywhere on him, but a tattoo had been imprinted on his right pectoral muscle. Sakura couldn't read the kanji, but she got an eerie feeling from the way the man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Like…Like déjà vu had just punched her in the face but she couldn't quite remember what it was she was supposed to be remembering.

"Damn," he mumbled, voice low and gravelly and sounding disappointed. "And here Izanami said you were good. You fell for one of the easiest tricks in the book."

She knew this man. _Shit shit shit she knew this man!_ Who was he?

Chisoku brushed against her calf, and she felt a surge of confidence flow through her at the simple action.

The man sighed, but moved a step forward, pushing his hands in his pockets. "Don't you know never to stray too far from help?" he lilted, a wicked smile growing on his face.

_Dammit!_ Sakura thought. They had been separated from Naruto and Sasuke before they even realized why, even though she and Chisoku had investigated in hopes of keeping Naruto from being targeted. They should have known it was just a ploy!

The man stepped closer until he was only two hundred feet away.

"Who are you?" Sakura demanded, taking a small step back and furthering her defensive stance.

"Who?" the man repeated. His hand rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I suppose you can know, since you won't be escaping anytime soon…" He turned to her, a lecherous grin splitting his face. "Samanji, chief… _torturer_… of the powerful organization Takai at your service."

Samanji, Samanji, Samanji… _Samanji!_

All of a sudden it hit Sakura like a ton of bricks. This was man she had fought in the forest when she was going back to Konoha. This was the man that had used a cheap jutsu in order to learn a bit of how powerful she was.

_This was the man that had killed her parents._

Rage boiled inside of her like an angry pool of slick molten lava, burning everything in its wake and leaving just enough for her to feel the fury, to grasp onto it with everything she had.

The man chuckled, his black eyes glowing. "You didn't think we were done with you, did you?" He laughed now. "Such a silly little girl."

She was angry. So angry, yet it also seemed that that anger kept her feet stuck to the ground on which she stood, waiting as the words Samanji spoke allowed it to grow, to fester, to settle inside of her until it was the only thing she could see.

Her voice was thick and enraged as she spoke. "You're disgusting."

This time, Samanji outright cackled. "Izanami was wrong! You guys are as stupid as those genin."

That statement made her pause. "Genin?"

His smile was insane. "Of course. They were just sitting there, miserable with their little lives, so I ended their pathetic existence for them." He leaned closer, definitely too far to be in Sakura's face, but she felt like he was just as close. "It was easy," he grinned. "Like squashing flies."

The anger snapped. In a movement too quick for normal eyes to see, Sakura jumped forward, the chakra gathering in her fist within a split second, the action repeated so many times over so many years that it was simply instinct. Without another thought, her fist landed hard on Samanji's chest.

He shuddered, stepped back a bit. But he didn't move again.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she jumped away just as his hand swiped out to harm her. A small pain shot up her arm, and she glanced at it, her other hand ghosting over it and finding it…fractured. She quickly healed it, but looked at Samanji, angry and baffled.

"I don't understand," she whispered, Chisoku moving up beside her. "He's not… He's not hurt."

Chisoku had witnessed the power of Sakura's fists, and he, too, was surprised that nothing seemed to have happened to Samanji.

Suddenly, the big man laughed. And laughed and laughed and laughed. "Is that all you got?" he practically screamed.

More anger rose in a quick, sweeping tide. "Let's go, Chisoku!" she cried, and the fox gave a firm "Hai!" in response. The two of them rushed in, Sakura turning and twisting with a series of punches and kicks. Chisoku was doing his own thing, biting and clawing and nipping at Samanji's legs.

The man growled, warding off most of Sakura's attacks, but almost every one of Chisoku's deadly bites drew blood. So, he started dodging, kicking out to keep Chisoku away and ducking to keep out of Sakura's way.

Each time Sakura's fist connected with Samanji, a fourth of her power was turned back to her, shaking her limbs. Half of the time she had to re-heal them, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out a way to beat this rounin.

Then, Chisoku suddenly jumped up, jaws open as he lunged towards Samanji's face, and Sakura took the opening. She ran forward, fist pumped full of chakra, and while Samanji was busy blocking his face, Sakura swung her left hand with all her might. It collided with Samanji.

For a second, nothing happened. Then Samanji cried out, flying a few feet and smashing into a nearby tree. A triumphant smirk graced Sakura's lips. _Finally! I got him!_

_Shannaro!_ her Inner agreed.

"We work best together," Chisoku said, triumphant as well.

"Yes. And if we keep this up, we should be able to get rid of him quickly," she continued, the sudden determination she felt shining through her eyes and vibrating in her voice.

They watched as Samanji stood, blood trickling down his face. Elation surged in her chest. _So he can be hurt_…

The feeling increased ten-fold when he walked forward a few steps, and his entire right arm hung uselessly at his side. His face was twisted in anger, and Sakura felt an insane smirk spread across her face.

"Sakura-san?" Chisoku murmured, and when she glanced down, his body was trembling with anticipation.

"Let's go!"

Almost as if he had been released from a starting gate, Chisoku lunged forward, powerful legs pumping as he neared Samanji with every large stride he took. Sakura was right behind him, using the fastest form of shunshin she could to keep up with his speed.

The two bore down on the injured man, his face malicious in every sense of the word. It seemed that he knew something Sakura and Chisoku didn't; she could see it in his eyes. Like they had figured something out, and he was in trouble…

But whatever it was, she didn't have time to find out. Just as the two of them reached Samanji, there was a slight rumble and a pop, smoke furling around the area Chisoku had just been.

Sakura braked as hard as she could, barely flipping back before she collided with Samanji. She was panting in surprise, looking all around for the fox, but Chisoku was nowhere to be seen. Samanji suddenly chuckled.

What to do? "Chisoku!" she called. No answer. Apprehension coiled in her chest. Where had gone?"

"Not so big without your pathetic fox friend, huh?"

Her eyes whipped back to Samanji. Sakura swallowed and took a step back, Samanji following the movement, his face splitting into a grin that promised pain.

00000

Chisoku hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of his lungs as he tumbled over and over and over again. Finally, he stopped, lying there motionless for a few moments as he tried to catch his breath and move his aching body. What the hell had happened? One minute he was racing towards Samanji, fighting with Sakura, and the next he was…

His eyes widened.

No. Oh, no. No, it couldn't be.

His head whipped around as fast as it could, taking in the surrounding sights with his heart ever sinking into his stomach. He didn't think it was possible, that it would be so soon. But it had happened.

To his right were a few outcroppings of rock and reddish clay. To his left was a forest. It wasn't filled with exorbitant amounts of trees, but he recognized them – recognized where he was.

Somehow, he had been summoned back to Randosune, and he had left Sakura alone with that monster.

00000

**A/N:** OH MY GOD I'M DONE! I can't believe I'm done with this chapter lol. I know Chisoku's part was short, but there wasn't much to be done about that. My mind runs the scenes in my chapters like a movie, and sometimes, shorter is better, so I decided to keep Chisoku's part like it is.

Everything is moving! And everyone seems to be splitting up lol. What a wonderful mess this will all turn out to be! Well, for all of you wondering, I will try to work on Chapter 22 of this story, but from what I can tell, this will be a very trying and time-consuming semester. I know this is only 20 pages, but I hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter! Everyone's support has made getting this chapter out there so much easier! Thanks everyone!

- wp

**NOTICE:** Make sure to vote for my poll guys! I wanna know what you think! It's been up there for a while, but I want to get all my chapters out so everyone who reads can have a chance to vote, and not those who just happen upon it. Thanks!


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Oh my GAWD it's an update. I'm sorry this has taken so long. School and no muse plus rehabbing my horse that has recently had surgery = difficulty/no time for writing. Plus I had a big fiction project in my creative writing class that took all of my muse and was something I really needed to work and do well on. I do have some notices that I'd like you all to read, but I'm putting them at the end so you can just start reading. Boy, I am excited and spent for this chapter. Hope you all enjoy this.

* * *

_Previously…_

_Chisoku hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of his lungs as he tumbled over and over and over again. Finally, he stopped, lying there motionless for a few moments as he tried to catch his breath and move his aching body. What the hell had happened?_

_To his right were a few outcroppings of rock and reddish clay. To his left was a forest. It wasn't filled with exorbitant amounts of trees, but he recognized them – recognized where he was._

_Somehow, he had been summoned back to Randosune, and he had left Sakura alone with that monster._

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kiba groaned, his whole entire body aching. It felt like he'd been hit by a bulldozer. Something wet slopped onto his face, he made a sound of disgust, slitting open an eye to look up. He barely had time to register anything before adrenaline surged through his blood and he was rolling out of the way of two massive hooves. Hot breath raced down his neck as he kept dodging, but it wasn't easy. Every time those hooves connected to the earth the ground shook with mini earthquakes.

It suddenly stopped, and Kiba backed away as quickly as he could while on his hands and feet. He panted, looking up at the thing towering over him, breathing hard as well.

The dog ninja swallowed. That thing was _monstrous_.

The bull had to be taller than a three-story building, brown-skinned and long-horned with snot and sludge leaking from its mouth and nose. There was a ring through the middle of its nose, and Kiba was almost positive this thing was a summon. It was too big to be a normal bull. Akamaru was barking like mad, the sharp sound ringing in his ears.

The huge summon was angry, beginning to snort once again, raising a hoof the size of two dinner plates and pawing the ground. And even though his body could feel the tremors every time a hoof hit the ground, it was difficult to get over just how big the bull was.

"Kiba-kun!"

He looked over, seeing Hinata and the Rain chuunin staring at the bull, frozen as well. Hinata was looking from him to the summon and back again, pale eyes wide with worry and fear.

People all around them were screaming in fear, scrambling away from the bull that had turned its attention to the mass of moving noise. It roared in anger, trying to charge, but it didn't know where to go.

All of the chuunin were looking at Kiba, like he was their leader, and he felt panic settle in his chest. He wasn't ready to take this position. He didn't want them to look up to him. He was used to following his sensei's orders.

Yet it was as if _he_ were the sensei now. They were waiting for him to make a decision.

The pandemonium around him matched the turmoil within his mind.

He felt frozen, lost. They were all staring at him, expecting him to do something. But he didn't _know_ what to do.

Suddenly, something brushed his leg, completely breaking his concentration. He looked down, watching as Akamaru glanced away from him to stare at the bull. The dog's body was firm, determined; but Kiba could feel his dog was relaxed as he softly leaned against him.

It jolted Kiba awake, sent confidence surging through his body, and reached down to touch Akamaru's head. The dog let his tongue loll out of his mouth as his eyes met Kiba's.

"Thanks, bud," Kiba murmured quietly, but he knew Akamaru could hear him.

Kiba squared his shoulders, quickly scanning the chaos around him. He whirled to face the other ninja, the Rain chuunin slightly surprised at his sudden change. Hinata smiled lightly, looking relieved. He sent her a small smile in return.

"You! Naito, Kotone, Daisuke!" he shouted, trying to be heard over the screams of people and the stomps of the bull. "I need you guys to split up. You need to help these people get to the shelters and get them away from this bull!"

Kotone gaped like a fish, Daisuke nodded silently, and Naito hesitated.

"Naito, you're in charge. Tell them where to go, who to help. Get these people safe, then come back and fight!" Kiba yelled.

At hearing this, determination flashed in Naito's eyes, and he nodded. "I will!"

"Kiba-kun!"

He turned to Hinata, nodding. "Hinata, I'm going to need your Byakugan. I don't know where this bull's weak spots are, and I'm going to need you to tell me."

"H-Hai, Kiba-kun!"

The dog ninja sent her a large smile, turning to face the occupied bull, but Hinata's voice stopped him.

"What a-are you going t-to do, Kiba-kun?"

Akamaru sidled up to him as an idea formed in his mind, and his smile widened. "I have to get on his level first."

The white dog barked, excitement causing his body to tremble with anticipation. Kiba slid his hand over Akamaru's back before jumping into a run. His dog followed faithfully behind, barking viciously with every step he took.

"All right, Akamaru." He stopped, Akamaru leaning into his leg as they stared at the bull. "Inuzuka Style Beast Combination Transformation!"

The burst of chakra filled his entire body, the added chakra of Akamaru giving him confidence. The dust swirled around him, and he felt adrenaline pump through his veins. He was excited. He and Akamaru hadn't seriously used this jutsu since fighting Orochimaru's henchmen, and he felt Akamaru mirror his excitement.

The bull turned, looking towards the source of the cry and chakra burst, but all it saw was dust. Inside, Kiba was smirking, but outside his face was a snarling mass of pearly, deadly teeth. He barely saw the bull's eyes widen, and it sent a thrill of victory thrumming through his blood.

"Two-headed Wolf." He felt proud of the bull's shock.

"Impossible."

Kiba blinked as that one word came out a deep, shocked rumble. So the bull _was_ a summon. He'd been beginning to doubt that this large bull was something of that kind. Summons had power, chakra, and the ability to speak, but until now, Kiba hadn't felt a thing from the bull. Now he could tell.

The bull snorted, pawing at the ground, suddenly raising his chakra and glaring at Kiba.

Inside, the dog ninja frowned. He hadn't told Akamaru to mark the bull because he wanted to test his regular strength first. But now, he wasn't quite sure. Their chakra stores had increased greatly since the last time he and Akamaru had been forced to use this technique, but he wasn't sure how much chakra it would take to defeat this summon.

The whole point of a summon was to help a ninja when they had few options left and just enough chakra to summon help. They were a tool to defeat, and dread formed in Kiba's gut. Summons had large stores of chakra – large than most ninja.

It wouldn't be detrimental if he had to use the two-headed wolf jutsu twice, but any more than three times and he'd be depleted. He could push a fourth time, but that would be borderline detrimental. He'd have barely any chakra left.

"You little worm," the bull growled.

Kiba lowered his head and let out a vicious growl. _He underestimated us_.

Akamaru gave a growl in agreement.

"I am Ridasuushi, king of the bulls. You cannot defeat me."

Both ninja and dog snarled. _We will see_, Kiba thought, sending it to Akamaru. He felt a push from his dog's chakra, and knew Akamaru agreed.

He almost felt sorry for anyone still left standing around them, but he had no time to think of that as the bull charged. The ground shook with each step they took, and in only seconds the two clashed.

It would have been fine had the earth not shaken with each move they made. But it did, and Kiba fought to adjust his balance as well as stay on top as the two continuously smashed into each other. The bull had his sharp horns and cloven hooves, but Kiba had two heads and two sets of teeth and double the claws.

There was really no time for Kiba to think about anything else, and in this form, he and Akamaru thought as one.

The bull snorted, roaring viciously as it attempted to smash its horns into Kiba's side. He dodged, pushing his legs faster. The bull was quicker than he expected, and in this form, he wasn't as used to moving quickly without the Double Wolf Fang, but he _had_ to get used to it. There were too many close calls.

He moved to the left as the bull charged again, horns at the ready and glinting sharply. Kiba swung his back end out, the corner of the horns brushing over his tail as he stretched out a paw and swiped.

Victory pulsed in his blood when he heard the bull's scream and saw the blood running in thick rivulets down the summon's side.

He didn't even see it coming. All he felt was something hitch in his side, and he was tossed aside like an ant. He smashed into a tree, jarring his bones and making his head spin as he fell with the tree, landing with his belly up and his spine curling around the trunk. All that registered was _pain_.

Shit, it hurt so bad. He whimpered, trying to move without hurting himself too much, yet all he managed to accomplish was slipping off the tree and onto the ground and jostling his bruised body more.

Barely, just barely, he managed to hold onto the jutsu. His chakra still hummed, and though he could feel Akamaru was in pain as well, his dog was holding on just as fiercely.

_My brave boy_.

Then he finally registered the screams.

It sent pain shooting up into his brain, but when Kiba whipped his head around – both heads turning – what greeted his sight was horrifying. The bull had somehow separated Hinata from the other ninja, and had her pinned. She was screaming, her arms held captive by those massive hooves as she let out short, panicked screams.

Kiba didn't blame her. Even he would be petrified of a giant bull staring down at him with shield-like hooves breaking his arms. Pinned like that, Hinata couldn't use any of the jutsu she knew.

Something in him snapped. His side protested but he ignored it. He had to get there _now_.

He leapt up, charging at the bull with a ferocious snarl. His claws were sharp, and when he hit the bull from the side he dug his nails in as far as they'd go. The bull cried out, pushed off of Hinata by the sheer force of Kiba's charge.

Nothing could make him let up. Now that the bull was down, he felt a vengeance and fury that he had never felt before well up in his chest and burst through his limbs. His chakra pumped through his blood, and both pairs of dark eyes glinted viciously.

Their heads didn't move as one. With the freedom of two, Kiba tore at the bull's haunches while Akamaru dug into its shoulder. Their legs continued to push the bull to the ground, claws tearing at the tough and skin and ripping it from the bull's hide.

In a moment of desperation, the bull kicked out with his back legs, managing to dislodge Kiba's hold, but that was all it needed. It scrambled to its feet, heaving and panting on shaky legs.

Kiba felt a deranged smile pull at the edges of his lips, and his tongue glided over his blood-soaked teeth. He would kill this bull.

They charged at each other again, Kiba gaining the offensive with his two snapping jaws and vicious growls. The bull was dodging, but not well, its injuries slowing it down.

His jaws caught part of the bull's lip, nose, ear, and even a side of his neck. The bull bellowed his anger, but it did little against Kiba's. Ridasuushi backed a few steps, circling as Kiba circled him, four eyes sparkling dangerously and two mouths open in vicious growls and a deadly show of sharp teeth.

Ridasuushi would not be caught off guard again.

"Kiba-kun!"

The sharp cry surprised him, made him pause. One head turned to look while the other stayed on the bull. It was Hinata. Her arms were shaking but her Byakugan was activated and trained on the bull, yet her voice was laced with pain.

"His neck! His neck is weak; it will kill him! His weakest chakra points are there, as well as in the backs of his legs!"

No stuttering. Hinata didn't stutter this time. She was in pain, and she was normally a very timid ninja, but she was talented and he had asked her to help him. And despite her broken arms she was. By god, she was.

The bull started at her sudden shout, eyes widening. Kiba didn't give Ridasuushi time to think it over. He charged again, the bull facing him this time and swinging his head, hoping his horns would catch Kiba like they did they first time. But he wasn't done yet.

Kiba met the bull head-on, one head snapping at the bull's face while the other latched onto one of the horns. With an angered growl Kiba dug his teeth into the horn, locking his powerful jaws and shaking his head from side to side. The bull bellowed at the loss of balance, and just then, Kiba gave an almighty twist.

_SNAP_.

The sound echoed in everyone's ears, and Ridasuushi and Kiba jumped away from each other. The bull was shaking, and Kiba released the muscles in his jaw, half of the bull's right horn falling with a heavy thud to the ground. Teeth marks imbedded deeply into the horn, and the bull looked petrified.

He bunched his muscles to charge again, but the bull had other ideas.

Bleeding and heavily wounded, Ridasuushi snorted. "I'm done here," he panted, and with a pop and puff of smoke he vanished.

Kiba stayed standing, panting slightly with his prize resting at his feet as he stared at the clearing smoke. Pride swelled in his chest, and he felt like laughing.

_We did it, buddy. We did it. And we didn't even have to use Double Wolf Fang. We did it with our own strength_.

Suddenly, pain shot up his side, and the jutsu dissipated. He wasn't sure if he fell or if he just continued to lay on the ground.

"Akamaru?" he asked, blurry eyes darting around looking for his white dog. Akamaru whined, big tongue flicking out to lick his face. He sighed. Good. That meant his dog was all right. But then…

He groaned, a hand moving to his side. _He_ was the one that had gotten hit in the side by the bull's horn, and the wound looked awful. It was bleeding horribly.

His faithful dog whined again, licking faster this time, as if it'd help.

"Kiba-kun!"

"Inuzuka-san!"

The four ninja rushed to his side, and he struggled to stand by himself. He had something pressing to tell them, now that he remembered.

"D-Daichi," he murmured. The others just looked at him. He sat up. "Daichi was moving away…when he bull came…and mowed me over. He ran…somewhere. We've got to…find him."

Naito looked shocked. "Inuzuka-san…"

"I know he's a jounin, but something was suspicious. It's not right."

"But you can't just – "

"I think the bull was his summon."

The silent one – Kiba couldn't remember his name – decided to speak. "I…hesitate to agree, however, I know by personal experience that Daichi does have a summon, and it is a bull."

Naito and Kotone gulped.

Kiba looked to Hinata. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "K-Kiba-kun, you're b-bleeding. We m-must get you – "

"No!"

Everyone winced, and he did, too. He hadn't meant to sound so forceful. Kiba stood. "No. Akamaru can track Daichi. We need to find him."

"But you can't!" Kotone argued.

"Yes, I will! Our job is to protect your village. So we will." Akamaru growled in agreement with Kiba's statement, and Kotone recoiled slightly. Suddenly, Kiba stiffened, eyes widening and fear tightening his stomach into knots.

"Guys?" he swallowed.

"Inuzuka-san?" Naito questioned. Hinata stared at him, her eyes filling with worry and comprehension as her gaze locked with Kiba's.

Kiba barely breathed. "Where's Sasuke's chakra?"

00000

Naruto groaned, his body sluggish and unwilling to cooperate. His head pounded as he opened blurry eyes. He blinked, glancing around furiously for Sasuke. He finally spotted him, a lump amongst the leaves. The blonde felt his whole body relax with relief.

"Shit," Naruto murmured, forcing chakra to his limbs. He really didn't have a lot at his disposal at the moment – it would take a few minutes to restore – but he had to stand. His feet shifted sluggishly underneath him, and he felt a smirk quirk his lips when he saw Sasuke struggling to stand as well.

_Kyuubi…_

_I'm on it, kid. Just keep fighting. Keep your promise._

The blond haired boy paused. _Why do you want to help me so much?_

It'd started with such vicious words, macabre intentions due to the realization of an opened channel to communicate. Slowly, Kyuubi's words had become less malicious, less gruesome, and they had somehow become friends.

_Probably something to do with your ridiculous beliefs of changing people._

Despite the situation, Naruto chuckled. _I guess I am, or maybe was, a bit obsessed about getting people to change. It works, though._

_Because you have faith in yourself, in the people you influence. Your actions also back your words, and there is no greater proof than that._

_Why were you so mean before? Most of the bijuu don't have a temper like yours._

Naruto could feel Kyuubi's indecision. Finally, the demon spoke. _It changes a person when their family is murdered._

The blonde's lips thinned. _Yes,_ he whispered. He had changed, too, when Jiraiya died. He had been so sick of seeing people die. _If Sasuke dies… If I have to kill him… I couldn't…_

"Impressive."

The shaky word snapped Naruto out of his exchange with Kyuubi. He saw Sasuke standing, panting, his limbs trembling slightly. Of course. The wind from Naruto's chakra nature must have whipped some of the lightning back into Sasuke's body. The only difference was that Naruto had a bijuu sealed inside of him with unlimited chakra.

Naruto's eyes hardened when he caught a glance of Sasuke's bloody eyes. There was something in them that Naruto couldn't see, some sort of swirling friction that had nothing to do with the iris lines of Sharingan. It sent a chill up Naruto's spine.

"Must be nice having a bijuu to save you," Sasuke said.

The blond ninja's lip curled. "Must be nice having a psychopath give you power." He didn't miss the way the his ex teammate twitched. "I need to bring you back, Sasuke."

"No."

"I made a promise to Sakura. I'm not breaking it again."

"Not yet."

"What?"

"I didn't come here to be captured."

"You don't have a choice."

"Neither do you."

Another chill slithered up Naruto's spine as he stared into those disturbingly red eyes. "I don't get it."

"You don't need to. You will soon."

"Enough!" Naruto cried, mind swirling. "I'm taking you back."

"No," Sasuke murmured as his hand lit up, the white light encasing his face in sharp lines and rippling shadows. "You won't."

Taking a step back to steady himself, Naruto gritted his teeth, powering his chakra through the sore coils. Kyuubi was sending energy into his body as his own chakra built up from his reserves. He really didn't know how much chakra he possessed, but he knew that it hadn't been tested like this in a while – at least not since he'd been learning _Hiraishin_.

He paused, wondering for a quick moment. His eyes hardened again. No. Not yet. One more thing. If that didn't work, _then_ he would try that jutsu. After all, he still didn't have the jutsu fully, and trying it for the first time during battle would be tricky if not deadly.

Blue eyes caught Sasuke's, and the unforgiving glint in Sasuke's eyes caused his chest to tighten. _Dammit, Sasuke._

Chakra swirled in his right hand, and he unconsciously pressed his element into the energy. What had quickly been a swirling _Rasengan_ became the singing _Rasen Shuriken_'s four-pronged sphere. The sound stung his ears, but he gritted his teeth and focused on Sasuke's face.

Orochimaru's cursed seal and extra chakra might have disappeared, but the erratic bolts of lightning were strong – stronger than Naruto remembered seeing. Just as Naruto had improved his _Rasengan_, so Sasuke had improved his _Chidori_.

_Of course_.

He had yet to figure out how to make _Rasen Shuriken_ actually act like a _shuriken_, but so far, Sasuke's trump card was direct contact as well. Hopefully, since the lightning was more powerful, it would block most of the _Rasen Shuriken_'s power. Naruto just wasn't looking forward to the jutsu chewing up his arm again.

With a barely perceptible move, Sasuke rushed forward, using greater speed to get at Naruto. He answered. He still wasn't as fast as he needed to be to complete _Hiraishin_, but he was getting faster, even in his fatigued state. Perhaps it was the fact that he was in a dangerous battle and he was learning, adapting, perfecting his control on his chakra as more of Kyuubi's seeped in to help that was the source of improvement. Either way, he could feel more power thrumming through his chakra paths.

Naruto felt his chest clench, grimacing as he neared Sasuke. This jutsu had completely taken away Kakuzu's ability to hold chakra since the coils in his cells had been damaged beyond repair. Naruto pressed his lips together. Maybe that was just what Sasuke needed. A dose of something dangerous enough that would make him stop and think.

Because there wasn't quite a threat of death. _Rasen Shuriken_ wouldn't quite kill. There was the threat that Sasuke would be _completely normal_, without chakra, something Naruto knew that Uchiha would detest.

And when they smashed together, their jutsu battling each other, Naruto felt the tremors start in his hand. They raced up his arm and through his body until both he and Sasuke were in the air, bodies convulsing. Another large blast split the trees, and Naruto faintly wondered if he'd heard an animal's roar or if it was just part of the explosion.

They both landed in a heap on the ground, Naruto's body spasming from the lightning coursing through his blood. This time, he couldn't open his eyes. He could barely concentrate on anything except the pain in his right arm. It felt utterly useless and completely numb.

Somewhere ahead of him, he heard Sasuke groan, and he hoped that meant his ex teammate was just as injured as he was. Right now his ears were ringing incessantly.

_Move. Come on, move!_ he told himself, but his body just felt tired. At least… _Kyuubi? Give me eyes._

Without a word Kyuubi obliged, his vision still a little fuzzy but definitely better. And from what he could tell, Sasuke wasn't moving. The ringing in his ears gradually slowed, and he was able to pick up Sasuke's harsh, quick, and pained breaths.

He could feel Kyuubi pressing more chakra into his body, trying to heal it, but the process was much slower this time. Especially in his arm. This time, his arm stung and burned and ached and it felt like bones were being broken and reset and forced together.

Finally, Naruto was able to at least sit up. Sasuke was attempting not to make any noise, but as he was moving to sit up as well, his low groans were almost music to Naruto's ears.

Then, those harsh red eyes hit Naruto's, and the blonde's sense of triumph vanished immediately.

"What the hell was that?" Sasuke spat.

Naruto took in Sasuke's panting breaths, and it took a moment to realize that he was panting, too. "A new jutsu." He didn't want Sasuke to know more than that.

He could barely see it, but Sasuke wasn't putting much weight on his left arm. He was trying to make it seem all right, but Naruto could see it wasn't. It was shaking badly.

Naruto hurried to his feet, even as Sasuke struggled much harder to stand. "You're coming back with me now," he said, a little breathless.

Sasuke snarled. "I don't care what just happened. I'm not going anywhere." He bravely managed to get to his feet, and even had the gall to begin conjuring more of his chakra.

The anger that suddenly possessed Naruto was almost frightening. It was quick to light fire in his blood and make him feel like Kyuubi on his most irrational day. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, thinking hard.

"What can't you admit?" he practically screamed. "That I'm better than you? That my jutsu injured you – badly? Are you so bent on being a rogue and having goddamn _power_ that you don't even want to be back in Konoha anymore?"

He didn't even wait for an answer. With another cry of rage Naruto shot at him, no jutsu prepared, just with an insatiable urge to plant his fist into Sasuke's face. He managed to, startling Sasuke backward, but the Uchiha's taijutsu had always been better than his. Sasuke recovered quickly, his fist catching Naruto's face before a foot connected with his abdomen. Naruto grabbed the foot, his bare palm catching the sandal and twisting it. Sasuke landed gracefully even with his tired body, and Naruto jumped away.

_I need fast. I _need_ fast_, Naruto chanted to himself, but he could feel his body protest at the thought. And he needed to almost take Sasuke out before he could do this. His brain was tired, screaming at him for making it think so much, but he had to concentrate.

And not a moment too soon. When Naruto opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them, Sasuke was charging at him. It suddenly felt like the chase between him and Chisoku again. Naruto felt the pressure, could see the determination in Sasuke's eyes, and he was suddenly his father's yellow blur.

Sasuke looked shocked as Naruto raced around him, landing hit after hit as Sasuke's heavily used Sharingan tried to compensate. Another sense of déjà vu hit, and Naruto was reminded of the Valley of the End before Sasuke's eyes had adjusted to his Kyuubi-induced speed.

And perhaps it was his lack of concentration, but Sasuke finally landed hit – a small one with a bit of lightning, but with all the adrenaline coursing through Naruto's veins, he barely felt it. He'd been thrown back a good distance, and Sasuke was still far away, but Naruto grinned. It was now time, and he couldn't have been more thrilled. He shot off, disappearing, leaving a hint of yellow that fell to the ground like misty fairy dust.

Then, his sealed, three-pronged kunai was pressed harshly against Sasuke's throat. He heard the Uchiha's sudden intake of breath.

_I did it_, he cheered.

Sasuke made to move, but Naruto pressed the kunai against Sasuke's throat harder as his left hand clenched around Sasuke's injured arm. His ex teammate winced but otherwise didn't make a sound.

"Ready to give up?"

As quickly as Naruto had asked, Sasuke snapped his head back, his skull smashing into Naruto's nose and making his eyes water. Both of his grips loosened, and Sasuke took that opportunity to grab Naruto's left arm and wrench it behind his back. The result was one of the loudest snaps Naruto had ever heard, and pain exploded in his left shoulder as he cried out.

Sasuke jumped away as Naruto looked up, clutching the kunai in his hand as his arm hung loose. Sasuke was breathing heavily, but Naruto noted that Sasuke's left arm was trembling horribly, and blood was oozing out of his forearm and dripping down to his hand. There were also thin rivulets of blood dripping from a gash the kunai had made on Sasuke's neck.

"I told you before," Sasuke said. "I didn't come here to get captured. I came here to tell you something, but I'm not sure I want to tell you anymore."

"Saskue, you bastard!"

Normally, Sasuke would have said some smart retort, but it was a great testament to his pain level when he merely winced and stayed quiet. After a moment of harsh breathing, he continued.

"Takai _is_ after medical ninja. But they are after you, too. They want the Kyuubi, something Akatsuki never got. Just… don't trust Akane."

"What – I – What the hell is that about, Sasuke?" Naruto cried in frustration. "What was the purpose of coming here if all you're giving me is a riddle!"

The rogue ninja shrugged, then grimaced. "They want you. They want Sakura. Figure it out."

"But I – "

Suddenly, his eyes widened. Now that neither of them was outputting chakra, he could feel the air much more clearly. There had been a big battle back at the village; Kiba's chakra felt… injured. Then…

"Oh, god," he choked. _Sakura_. He couldn't feel her chakra anymore.

By the time he looked up, Sasuke was gone.

00000

Sakura panted, her left hand against the inside of her forearm as she healed her jarred bones. She wasn't a fighter, despite how much she wanted to be, and it was proven as her chakra steadily decreased.

Ever since Chisoku had been pulled back into the summon world, Sakura had a horrible time trying to land a hit on Samanji. She had only succeeded when she'd cast a genjutsu and attacked him, but her chakra wasn't meant for the high-level genjutsu she needed. She had only been able to use it three times – and the shadow clone, which she had tried twice – had not been a success.

Besides, every time she hit him, she could tell her powerful blows were affecting him. But instead of just affecting him, it was like half of it ricocheted back into her arm, creating more harm than good. Half of her chakra was spent healing herself after her particular nasty punches, and she couldn't go on much longer. Her chakra was conditioned for the intricate work of healing – not for battle.

Why wasn't anything she was doing working? She could tell her chakra was affecting Samanji; he was panting and his shaking was barely perceptible. What would they do – fight until they both ran out of chakra?

Her lips pressed into a thin line. No, that wasn't his purpose. She could tell she was more fatigued than he was, but she really didn't have much in the way of chakra stores. Even when she'd healed Masuyo, it had taken all of her concentration and power to save him.

She felt a pang twist in her chest. She might have known Masuyo and his mother for only a bit, but she missed them. Sakura could only pray and hope with all her might that Kaori was okay.

"Well, aren't you surprising, princess."

The oily-spoken statement crawled over Sakura's nerves, and she slipped into a defensive stand again.

"Akemi never told me about your ability to produce genjutsu. Subtle. Difficult to catch."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Yours aren't much better."

Samanji's grin made fear pierce white-hot in her veins once again. She was not afraid to fight, but there was something demonic about this man and his grin that made her determined not to let him capture her.

The medic growled at herself. How stupid she had been to wander off when Sasuke and Naruto were fighting. Sure she'd had Chisoku with her, but a lot of good that did her. God, she had been so stupid. And she knew she would pay the price for it because her chakra was nearly gone. She had none left for genjutsu or shadow clones – just enough for one big punch. Or two.

_Or two_.

Her green eyes glinted as a new plan formed in her mind. She was no Hyuuga, but unlike Naruto she had learned how to recognize the various states of chakra depletion. After all, she was a highly trained medic nin.

This had to work. This _needed_ to work.

Again, the Takai member smiled, but it was more of a bearing of teeth than an actual smile, and Sakura felt a smirk flit across her face. She still felt a flicker of fear, but she was almost one hundred percent positive that this would work.

She wasn't the fastest at Taijutsu, but she had learned a lot from Lee. If she timed it right and had guessed correctly about Samanji's ability, this would work.

"Come one, come on, little rodent," she teased, with more confidence than she felt.

Immediately, Samanji's grin faltered, and his face contorted angrily. "What did you just call me?"

"A rodent. Weasel would be too nice. That was Uchiha Itachi, and I doubt you're on his same level. I fought him once, you see. You're definitely below him. So a rodent it is."

When Samanji howled at her and rushed forward, Sakura felt her body tense. She had to stay still. _Just let him come to you. Come to you!_ she screamed in her head. But she felt more inclined to run than to stay.

_Channel Rock Lee. Just fucking channel Rock Lee!_

Her left fist shot out, chakra infused into her knuckles and cracking into his shoulder. He hadn't expected it, but had seen her at the last second and attempted to dodge. On the follow of her swing she spun on her left foot, her right leg up and smashing into his face.

She felt her bones wobble in her calf and her muscles bruise, but she finished her twist, planting her right foot on the ground before driving her right fist straight into Samanji's gut. She grinned as she felt the driving force of her chakra break his ribs and sound a hollow _thunk_ in his abdomen.

There was a little chakra left, so with a final blow, she sent her chakra careening into his injured shoulder. This time, he'd prepared, and she felt the bit of chakra slam back into her left forearm.

A pained cry escaped from her lips as Samanji still skittered away. Gingerly, she grasped her arm in her right hand, her right calf muscles aching and trembling.

Yet through the pain, she managed to open her eyes. Samanji was coughing, weight supported on his right arm and knees. Blood was trickling down his lips, and his breath was ragged. He looked broken. Sakura smiled. She'd done it. She did it. The medic nin let out a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, her head was jerked back, her head stinging and eyes watering as she registered the pulling of her hair. Another arm clasped around her neck, choking back her surprised cry of pain.

"Samanji, you idiot," a female voice spat.

Sakura struggled as much as she could, but her chakra levels were only enough to keep her alive. She was completely out, but she would not stop fighting no matter how hard that arm squeezed.

Her vision was going hazy, her body screaming for air she wasn't getting, and her movements were getting slower and slower. The woman let her go almost as quickly as she had grabbed her, and Sakura sucked in a lungful of air, coughing and spluttering. She lay on the ground, eyesight blurry.

With a stab of fear she realized just how out of chakra she was. She barely watched the woman step over to Samanji and place her hands on his abdomen, apparently healing him. From the light near her hands the lady wasn't the best at healing, but it was enough to make Samanji better.

Indignation welled in Sakura's chest. She had beaten him. She had! _She had_. This was her victory, and some bitch had ruined it. Only this time, she was the only one out here. She didn't have anyone to help her like she had when she and Chiyo had been fighting Sasori.

She was out of chakra and still breathing difficultly from being nearly choked. It wasn't wise to fight right now – if she did, she'd die, and she knew that would kill Naruto. She couldn't do that.

Pain had never hindered her before. It had been painful to learn from Tsunade's "incentives" at getting her to dodge. She'd had to live through poison in her system after fighting Sasori even though she had mixed an antidote.

Her mind was whirling, but she was still lying on the ground, the grass tickling her cheek and the scent of soil potent in her nose. If she was going to be taken, she would need to leave something behind. Chakra wouldn't do. One, she didn't have any to spare and two, they would recognize it right away.

_Ugh,_ she grimaced, but went through with her plan anyway. She wrapped her tongue around a grass blade and bit it off, letting the disconnected piece fall out of her mouth. If any of them managed to get Akamaru down here, or even if Chisoku showed up, they would be able to smell the scent of her lying here as well as the blade of grass.

A lot of good a broken blade would do, but knowing Naruto, he would jump to conclusions, and that was just what she needed.

_Be strong_, her Inner whispered.

_We will be. I might not be able to fight much, but if they need information I won't give them any. We can do it._

_Yes._

Sakura swallowed convulsively, wincing when her throat ached and burned. That woman sure had a strong arm. The medic blinked again, focusing as the woman helped Samanji to his feet. The rogue ninja looked sore and worse for the wear, but Sakura felt satisfaction despite her predicament. For it to have taken that long to partially heal him and he was still be out of sorts, her chakra had done a number to his system.

The two ninja were bickering, and Sakura strained to hear.

"Just get the damn chakra cloak, Samanji. God, you're such an idiot," the woman snarled.

"But Shuhan-sama –"

"Now, Samanji!"

Sakura blinked, still watching. But as Samanji stepped away, the woman moved towards Sakura, finally giving the medic a full view of her face. Sakura's heart stopped.

"Oh, no," she whispered, voice hoarse.

The woman grinned viciously, eyes sparkling with nothing kind and everything sinister. "Oh, yes, little chuunin."

"You're Akane."

* * *

**A/N:** *gasp* The leader's identity is revealed! Were you all expecting that it was Akane? Yes, no? Let me know! Anyway, I'm finally done. I'm surprised. I wrote pages 11 to 19 in two days. Doesn't seem like a lot, but considering how busy I've been I say that's progress. So I guess this is my readers' late Christmas/New Years present. I know this chapter kind of sucked and was a bit repetitive, but let me know what you thought. Anyway, to my notices. _PLEASE READ THEM._

**Notice 1:** I would like to know if you readers would be on board with me getting a **Live Journal** account. I've been seriously considering it since I can post comments on a day-to-day basis with updates on how the chapter is going and everyone can participate to ask questions and I can answer them. _PLEASE_ let me know in your reviews if this is something you guys really want me to do. I really don't need another account for something, but if it'll be beneficial for you guys I'll do it. So let me know!

**Notice 2:** For those of you that have read this story and expressed confusion along earlier chapters, with the publication of this chapter I have officially reposted all of the other chapters to ensure all of the page breaks have been done correctly so it doesn't just go from one point of view to the other seemingly randomly. I haven't changed/ edited the writing – right now it'd take too long to do that, so most of it is the same.

**Notice 3:** For any of you wondering, the reason why I made Naruto so "Sasuke-like" in those first few chapters will be explained in later chapters. Just in case anyone wanted to know. Explanation will come. Sometime (hopefully) soon.

**Notice 4****:** I am sorry that it has been difficult writing these chapters. I understand that I could probably put this story on hiatus to allow for more time to work on it, but I don't want to do that to you guys unless you feel it would be better that way instead of leaving you hanging. **If you would really like to know why I haven't been publishing or have any other questions – please check my profile or PM me. To those of you who have sent me encouraging reviews, I thank you for your faith. It has inspired me to make myself sit down and write when I can, even if it's only a sentence.**

**Notice 5: AND MOST IMPORTANT.** This rides on the coattails of number 4. If you do have a question or _problem_ with my lack of updating, PM me. DO NOT complain in a review. You do not know how frustrating that is when you're either a guest and I _can't_ reply to you, or you assume that complaining in a review will get me to update. Clue: that's not how it goes. PM me if you want to complain. I'll be more than happy to listen to and answer those complaints. I have a busy life. I'll give you the details, map out my days hour by hour for you if you really want to know, but give me a _chance_ to explain, and accept that I have a life I need to live. I _cannot_ suffer my grades for stories.

Sorry if I'm being harsh but that's how it'll have to be. I hope you guys aren't disappointed with this chapter. It's a might bit short – 18 pages, but I think it still covers what needs to be covered so that next chapter can cover the one part I missed that I want to delve into. Hope you all enjoyed this.

- wp


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